FaceAppis a photo and video editingapplicationforiOSandAndroiddeveloped by FaceApp Technology Limited, a company based inCyprus.[1]The app generates highly realistic transformations of human faces in photographs by usingneural networksbased onartificial intelligence.[2][3]The app can transform a face to make it smile, look younger, look older, or change gender.
 | |
| Developer(s) | FaceApp Technology Limited |
|---|---|
| Initial release | December 31, 2016 |
| Written in | Python |
| Operating system | iOS,Android |
| Type | Image editing |
| License | Freemium |
| Website | faceapp.com |
Features
editFaceApp was launched on iOS in January 2017 and on Android in February 2017.[4][5]There are multiple options to manipulate the photo uploaded such as editor options of adding an impression, make-up, smiles, hair colors, hairstyles, glasses, age or beards. Filters, lens blur and backgrounds along with overlays, tattoos, and vignettes are also a part of the app.
The gender change transformations of FaceApp have attracted particular interest from theLGBTandtransgendercommunities, due to their ability to realistically simulate the appearance of a person as the opposite gender.[6][7]
Criticism
editIn 2019, FaceApp attracted criticism in both the press and on social media over theprivacyofuser data.[8][9][10]Among the concerns raised were allegations that FaceApp stored users' photos on their servers, and that their terms of use allowed them to use users' likenesses and photos for commercial purposes.[11]In response to questions, the company's founder, Yaroslav Goncharov, stated that user data and uploaded images were not being transferred to Russia but instead processed on servers running in theGoogle Cloud PlatformandAmazon Web Services.[12]According to Goncharov, user photos were only stored on servers to savebandwidthwhen applying multiple filters, and were deleted shortly after being uploaded.[11]US senatorChuck Schumerexpressed "serious concerns regarding both the protection of the data that is being aggregated as well as whether users are aware of who may have access to it" and called for an FBI investigation into the app.[13][14]
A "hot" transformation was available in the app in 2017 supposedly making its users appear more physically attractive, but this was accused of racism for lightening the skin color ofblack peopleand making them look moreEuropean.The feature was briefly renamed "spark" before being removed.[15][16]Founder and chief executive Yaroslav Goncharov apologised, describing the situation as "an unfortunate side-effect of the underlying neural network caused by the training set bias, not intended behaviour"[15][16]and announcing that a "complete fix" was being worked on.[15][16]In August that year, FaceApp once again faced criticism when it featured "ethnicityfilters "depicting"White","Black","Asian",and"Indian".The filters were immediately removed from the app.[17][18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"FaceApp: About us".FaceApp.com.2022-02-28.Retrieved2022-02-28.
- ^Stark, Harold (25 April 2017)."Introducing FaceApp: The Year Of The Weird Selfies".Forbes.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^Vincent, James (27 May 2019)."This app uses neural networks to put a smile on anybody's face".The Verge.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^Vincent, James (15 February 2017)."Android users can now harness the power of neural networks to alter faces".The Verge.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^Tan, Yvette (15 February 2017)."Viral selfie-morphing FaceApp launches on Android after huge iOS success".Mashable.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^Cracker, Miz (5 May 2017)."The Magnetic and Emotionally Complex Power of FaceApp's Gender Filter".Slate.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^Manning, Allee (1 May 2017)."FaceApp's gender swap is playing mind games with trans users".The Daily Dot.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^"AI photo editor FaceApp goes viral again on iOS, raises questions about photo library access".TechCrunch.17 July 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-06-16.Retrieved2019-07-17.
- ^"The worrying thing that happens when you use the viral face aging app".The Independent.2019-07-17.Retrieved2019-07-17.
- ^Biggs, Tim (2019-07-17)."What's fact and what's fiction when it comes to FaceApp?".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved2019-07-17.
- ^abCarman, Ashley (2019-07-17)."FaceApp is back and so are privacy concerns".The Verge.Retrieved2020-02-08.
- ^"FaceApp responds to privacy concerns".TechCrunch.17 July 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-06-16.Retrieved2019-07-17.
- ^"US senator asks FBI to investigate FaceApp".18 July 2019.Retrieved18 July2019.
- ^Koetsier, John."Viral App FaceApp Now Owns Access To More Than 150 Million People's Faces And Names".Forbes.Retrieved2019-07-18.
- ^abcMcGoogan, Cara (25 April 2017)."FaceApp: Viral selfie app in racism storm over 'hot mode' that lightens skin colour".The Telegraph.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^abcCresci, Elena (25 April 2017)."FaceApp apologises for 'racist' filter that lightens users' skintone".The Guardian.Retrieved13 June2017.
- ^Wattles, Jackie (August 9, 2017)."FaceApp removing 'ethnicity filters' after outrage".CNNMoney.RetrievedAugust 10,2017.
- ^"FaceApp sparks racist backlash for 'black', 'white' and 'Asian' filters".The Telegraph.August 9, 2017.RetrievedAugust 10,2017.