{"id":126695,"date":"2021-08-20T08:51:33","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T15:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=126695"},"modified":"2025-05-22T21:23:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T04:23:10","slug":"4-viral-apps-risking-your-personal-smartphone-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/mobile-security\/4-viral-apps-risking-your-personal-smartphone-security\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Viral Apps Risking Your Personal & Smartphone Security"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mobile phones have gone through an incredible transformation\u00a0since their inception in the 1970s.\u00a0Now, the\u00a0sheer\u00a0number of applications\u00a0is dizzying, as are their privacy policies; however,\u00a0smartphone apps can bring\u00a0hours\u00a0of\u00a0fun and\u00a0belly laughs, and\u00a0occasionally, a viral app captures the\u00a0world\u2019s attention.\u00a0Don\u2019t let\u00a0potential risks to your personal information safety ruin all smartphone apps for you.\u00a0All\u00a0you need\u00a0to share and play safely is a few\u00a0tips to help you identify which apps are\u00a0OK\u00a0to use and how to\u00a0navigate\u00a0them intelligently.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out these four viral apps that may be putting your personal information at risk, plus a few tips that\u2019ll help you enjoy smartphone apps safely.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Voil\u00e0 AI Artist<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Voil<\/span>\u00e0<\/span>\u00a0AI\u00a0Artist\u00a0is a trending app that reimagines your face as a cartoon, caricature, or\u00a0model of\u00a0fine Renaissance art.\u00a0Users can\u00a0snap a selfie\u00a0with the app or allow the app to access their photo library.\u00a0According to\u00a0<\/span>WIRED<\/span><\/a>, the app\u00a0says it deletes users\u2019 photos\u00a0from its database\u00a0in 24 to 48 hours, though it\u2019s difficult to confirm that they aren\u2019t stored.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Approach any app\u00a0that\u00a0could potentially\u00a0use and store your likeness\u00a0with caution.\u00a0<\/span>Deepfake technology<\/span><\/a> is\u00a0becoming more sophisticated and common by the day. Deepfakes are fabricated videos, images,\u00a0or sound\u00a0clips\u00a0of every day or famous people\u00a0based on real videos and\u00a0images.\u00a0Fake media impacts the victims whose likenesses are used because often the\u00a0media is demeaning\u00a0or incendiary.\u00a0Voil<\/span>\u00e0<\/span>\u00a0AI Artist hasn\u2019t been suspected of any wrongdoing, but it\u2019s best to\u00a0be aware of how your face could be used to endorse something you don\u2019t agree with.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. FaceApp<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Another face-altering app that could pose a risk to users\u2019 privacy\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>FaceApp<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0Similar to\u00a0Voil<\/span>\u00e0<\/span>\u00a0AI Artist, it\u2019s unclear what the app does with your likeness once you allow it to take your picture.\u00a0FaceApp\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>terms\u00a0of use agreement<\/span><\/a> outline that the selfies uploaded to the app\u00a0belong to the app. From there, the app is free\u00a0<\/span>\u201cto use, reproduce, modify, adapt, create derivative works from, distribute, perform,\u00a0and display your User Content.\u201d\u00a0This line of fine print should\u00a0make\u00a0users pause. Again, users\u2019 faces could be used in ways they wouldn\u2019t normally agree to.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

While the\u00a0<\/span>Pok\u00e9mon\u00a0Go<\/span><\/a>\u00a0craze\u00a0of\u00a02016 has greatly subsided,\u00a0the next viral app that sweeps the world could replicate\u00a0the security vulnerabilities the premise presents.\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon\u00a0Go uses augmented reality, which\u00a0is\u00a0the kind of technology that makes it look like a\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon\u00a0is strolling across your living room.\u00a0The app can access your camera, as well as your contacts, pictures, chats, and location.\u00a0It\u2019s a blast exploring your neighborhood looking for animated critters and seeing nearby strangers\u2019 profiles pop up on your map; however, be wary of sharing location\u00a0data\u00a0and images of the inside of your home\u00a0with people you don\u2019t know in real life.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. TikTok<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

TikTok<\/span><\/a> may\u00a0pose a risk to\u00a0users\u2019 data privacy.\u00a0TikTok\u00a0is under suspicion for using data mining tactics.\u00a0Data mining is a practice where corporations harvest personal details from user-profiles and\u00a0share them with advertising, marketing,\u00a0and analytics companies. According to\u00a0<\/span>Business Insider<\/span><\/a>, TikTok collects more than 50 kinds of data from users as young as 13 years old, including age, gender, location, and online habits. These facts are often used to create targeted ads that sometimes border on an invasion of privacy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Navigate Smartphone Apps Safely<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Check out these tips to make sure you\u2019re prepared to use apps safely or\u00a0help you\u00a0decide to skip trends\u00a0entirely.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n