14 DAY TRIAL // FaceApp, the mobile application that allowed users to take a selfie and generate an aged version of themselves, is considered a “potential counterintelligence threat” due to its ties with Russia, the FBI says after conducting a thorough analysis of the photo processing that it employs.
FaceApp has become a mobile phenomenon earlier this year when millions of users installed the app on Android and iOS devices. Privacy concerns, however, rapidly made the rounds, especially after rumors of a potential connection between the company that owns the application and the Russian government.
Despite the R&D team indeed located in Russia, FaceApp representatives repeatedly denied any ties with the country, explaining that while uploaded photos “might” be stored in the cloud, no information is collected with the purpose of being transferred to Moscow.
FaceApp still available for download despite concerns
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was one of the first to express concerns regarding the way FaceApp works, calling for the FBI to conduct a thorough investigation of the application.
“The FBI considers any mobile application or similar product developed by Russia, such as FaceApp, to be a potential counterintelligence threat, based on the data the product collects, its privacy and terms of use policies, and the legal mechanism available to the Government of Russia that permit access to data within Russia’s borders,” FBI says in a November 25 response.
Senator Schumer calls for Americans to delete the photo-aging app from their devices, at the same time recommending them to check twice before downloading an application that is developed by another country.
“In light of FBI’s warning that FaceApp, and similar applications developed in Russia, poses a potential counterintelligence threat to the United States, I strongly urge all Americans to consider deleting apps like FaceApp immediately and proceed with extreme caution when downloading apps developed in hostile foreign countries,” Schumer was quoted as saying.
FaceApp continues to be available from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store despite these concerns.