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Privacy Warnings Issued Over Russian-Owned FaceApp

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/CNN) -- The photo filter app, FaceApp, has gone viral, but experts are warning users to be cautious about using it.

FaceApp is an app that lets users upload their photos, and uses artificial intelligence to change their looks, either older or younger.

The app is Russian-owned, and also gives FaceApp access to your entire photo library.

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As Founder and CEO of IT Security Solutions Albert Whale told KDKA, there are red flags for FaceApp. Your approval on the app allows them to modify, reproduce and publish your picture.

Whale said if you used the app, you've opened yourself to a deeper threat.

"You are giving exclusive irrevocable access to who you are," White said. "Is that really what you want to do?"

"Present your face for recognition on a passport, a driver's license, to sell it to criminal activity and points unknown," White added.

"You grant FaceApp a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform and display your User Content and any name, username or likeness provided in connection with your User Content in all media formats and channels now known or later developed, without compensation to you," according to FaceApp's terms.

Launched in 2017, FaceApp isn't necessarily new. But it's making headlines again because the app has gotten good -- like, eerily good -- at showing users what they'll look like when they age.

It's one of the most downloaded apps, and fans and celebrities are now using the hashtag #faceappchallenge to share their result photos.

Basketball star Dwyane Wade gave it a go -- or, in this case, retired basketball star?

Tottenham Hotspurs, a soccer team in England, made a whole Twitter thread of their players with FaceApp. It's amazing.

And rapper Drake got in on the aging action (though it isn't clear if he used FaceApp to do it).

The app uses neural networks -- a type of artificial intelligence -- to edit the photos.

And it can do more than just age you. The app can literally put a smile on your face, make you look younger, or swap your gender, too.

CBS Local and The-CNN-Wire
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