FaceApp Addresses Viral Privacy Concerns Over Cloud Photo Processing
FaceApp confirms it processes selected user photos in the cloud via AWS and Google Cloud, deleting most images within 48 hours. The Russian startup denies sharing data with third parties or transferring information to Russia.
FaceApp responds to recent privacy concerns by confirming that it processes user photos in the cloud rather than locally on devices. The company states that it only uploads the specific photos users select for editing, and security tests find no evidence that the app uploads a user's entire camera roll. FaceApp clarifies that the app's ability to let users select individual photos despite restricted camera roll access is standard allowed behavior within iOS.
Regarding data storage, FaceApp reveals that it keeps uploaded photos on its servers for a short period to improve performance and prevent repeat uploads of the same image. The company notes that most images are deleted from its servers within 48 hours of the upload date. Founder Yaroslav Goncharov confirms that this cloud processing and storage relies on Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud infrastructure rather than Russian servers.
The Russian startup firmly denies selling or sharing any user data with third parties. FaceApp also assures users that no data transfers to Russia, despite its research and development team being based there. Users who want their data deleted can submit a request through the app by navigating to Settings, selecting Support, reporting a bug, and including the word "privacy" in the subject line.