- FaceApp, the photo editing app that uses artificial intelligence to apply filters, has seen a resurgence of interest in recent days.
- People have been using the app's "Old" filter to share photos of what they might look like after aging on social media.
- Celebrities such as rapper Drake and pop group the Jonas Brothers have been using the app too.
- For more stories, go to Business Insider SA.
If you've been seeing your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds filled with photos of friends and family members that seemingly aged overnight, you're not alone.
In recent days, there's been a resurgence of interest in FaceApp, the popular photo app that uses artificial intelligence to apply filters that can make you look older or younger or swap your gender in addition to other effects. The app launched in 2017, but has been flooding social media feeds everywhere over the past several days. Celebrities from rapper Drake to famous chef Gordon Ramsay and pop group the Jonas Brothers have been using the app to see how they might age.
But there are a few things you should keep in mind before you start uploading your photos.
The app's terms give FaceApp, which is based in Russia, have been flagged as questionable. There has also been some concern over how the app accesses a user's photo library even if that person doesn't give the app permission to do so.
But, as TechCrunch has pointed out, Apple offers a tool developers can build into their apps that lets users choose one photo from their library to upload without giving that app access to the entire library.
If you do want to try using FaceApp to see how you'll age, you can do so by following the steps below:
Download the FaceApp app from the App Store or Google Play Store, and decline the offer to subscribe to the app when opening it.
Take a photo of yourself or choose a photo from your image library. Tapping the "Photos" button at the bottom will let you choose a photo from your camera roll without giving the app access to your entire photo library.
Scroll over to the "Age" filter at the bottom of the screen.
Choose "Old" and wait for the photo to process.
You can also use demo photos provided by the app, or choose images of celebrities by tapping the button near the bottom of the app.
South Africa celebrities have been taking part in the #FaceApp too, like Maps Maponyane.
Receive a single WhatsApp every morning with all our latest news: click here.
Also from Business Insider South Africa:
- Someone in South Africa apparently tried to ship R1.4 billion worth of cocaine into Australia – by welding it into a giant yellow excavator
- The Gautrain wants to use levies paid by people across South Africa – such as vehicle registration fees – to fund much of its huge planned expansion
- Dear Jacob Zuma, here's why everyone is out to get you
- A Sandton office building that once housed SAB is about to become (relatively) cheap apartments: here’s how it will transform
- South African men get paid much more than women - here are the worst industries
- MTN lets you turn yourself into multiple emojis for World Emoji Day - here's how it works
