Have you ever heard of FaceApp, the latest viral trend? No, we really don’t need to ask. Of course, you have.
FaceApp, a Russian mobile app which digitally alters faces, surged in popularity as millions of users transformed their faces to look older. However, it also stirred a controversy for allegedly violating user privacy.
This discussion began after a few users pointed out a clause in the terms and conditions that gives the app “perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license” to all uploaded photos. According to FaceApp’s privacy policy, the app also uses data like user’s location or IP address for the purpose of aiming targeted ads.
Even though problematic, FaceApp’s privacy policy is no exception. Nowadays, most apps can trace your habits, look into your contact list, make phone calls without your knowledge, track your location, examine your files and more. Some call blockers will even upload each and every contact from your contact list to their servers.
–> Read also: What does your phone know about you?
Your data stay safe in your phone
When we were creating our Should I Answer app, we didn’t want to be one of those apps. We’ve always sided with real people against big companies, and we’ve been sticking to it ever since.
Therefore, in contrary to other apps that make living of selling their user’s data to big companies, we’ve chosen another path. Unlike most apps, the Should I Answer app, one of the most popular call blocking apps in the world, works strictly on an anonymous basis. We’re interested neither in your phone number, nor in your phone contacts. So those information stay safe in your mobile phone, they’re never sent to our servers.
Here’s the full list of the permissions the Should I Answer app needs to protect you from unwanted calls:
- Access to your contacts: Without this permission we are not able to distinguish which number is unknown to you. However, everything happens only in your phone, we never send your contacts’ information to our servers (and what’s more, we don’t even really “see” them).
- Access to call log and call history: Without this permission we are not able to check if and which number is calling. Again, it all happens only in your phone.
- Set the application as default phone application: Without this permission we are not able to grant that the app will work without problems.
Read before you download
One important thing to remember? Keep your information private. Think of everything you share online, and always read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy before downloading any app or subscribing to any online service.