FaceApp: Chuck Schumer asks for FBI investigation
Friday, July 19, 2019 IST
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has called for an investigation into FaceApp, which alters users' photos to make them look older or younger.
In a letter posted on Twitter, Mr Schumer called it "deeply troubling" that personal data of US citizens could go to a "hostile foreign power".
Privacy concerns have been raised about the Russian company which developed the app after it went viral in recent days.
FaceApp has previously denied the allegations.
Wireless Lab, a company based in St. Petersburg, says it does not permanently store images, and does not collect troves of data - only uploading specific photos selected by users for editing.
Mr Schumer however has asked that the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate FaceApp.
"I have 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," his letter reads.
"It's not clear at this point what the privacy risks are, but what is clear is that the benefits of avoiding the app outweigh the risks," security officer Bob Lord reportedly told staff.
The company says it has about 80 million active users.
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