The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

You downloaded FaceApp. Here’s what you’ve just done to your privacy.

5 questions we all should have asked before we downloaded the latest viral app that ages your face.

Perspective by
Columnist|
July 17, 2019 at 4:55 p.m. EDT
The Post's Geoffrey Fowler has five questions you ought to ask about any app or service, including FaceApp, that wants something as personal as your face. (Video: The Washington Post)

When an app goes viral, how can you know whether it’s all good fun — or covertly violating your privacy by, say, sending your face to the Russian government?

That’s the burning question about FaceApp, a program that takes photos of people and “ages” them using artificial intelligence. Soon after it shot to the top of the Apple and Google store charts this week, privacy advocates began waving warning flags about the Russian-made app’s vague legalese. Word spread quickly that the app might be a disinformation campaign or secretly downloading your entire photo album. Leaders of the Democratic party warned campaigns to delete the app ‘immediately.’