FBI sees FaceApp and other Russian-owned apps to be counterintelligence threats

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FaceApp was a weird little trend, huh? Either seeing yourself at age 60 or a different gender is fun, right? Hey, all of your favorite celebrities were doing it, so why not try it out?

Well, when news broke out that the app is developed in Russia it started to create some questions and concerns.

Concerning enough that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wrote a letter to the FBI about his uneasy attitude towards the app and its company. Sen. Schumer, like others who heard of the app, saw FaceApp as a way for the Russians to monitor and store user’s data pictures.

The FBI conducted an investigation into what FaceApp is capable of doing. Recently, the FBI responded to Sen. Schumer with what they have found.

The FBI wrote a letter to Sen. Schumer about FaceApp – Here’s what they have to say

“The FBI considers any mobile application or similar product developed in Russia, such as FaceApp to be a potential counterintelligence threat, based on the product collects, its privacy and terms of policies, and the legal mechanisms available to the Government of Russia that permit access to data within Russia’s borders.”

Part of their investigation had them finding how easily Russian intelligence operatives can access this information from FaceApp’s servers. In fact, the company’s own privacy terms – that users have totally read – state that user’s pictures and information on what sites they visit can be collected by FaceApp.

Despite the justifiable anxieties from the US government, FaceApp’s founder Yaroslav Goncharov spoke with The Washington Post last July to reassure users that their data isn’t being sold. He said that “most images are deleted within 48 hours.”

For those who are concerned about their data being compromised, you can easily delete the app’s data from your phone.

Wha do you think? Are you worried about apps developed in countries like Russia and China? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Colin Barry

I like honey roasted peanuts because they are delicious. I also like the Metal Slug games and X-Men comics because they are awesome.