Face-swap app "Zao" turns users into movie stars
"Zao", a new deep fake application, is storming the Chinese charts. However, users are concerned about the data protection guidelines.
The new Chinese face-swap app "Zao", which is distributed by the company Momo Inc, allows users to become stars in well-known films. Zao took the Chinese app charts by storm last weekend, but many users are annoyed by the app's questionable data protection guidelines.
Users become Leonardo DiCaprio
In an early version of the user agreement, Zao demanded "free, irrevocable, permanent, transferable and relicensable rights" to content created by users. Due to the app's high image quality, users are concerned that their faces are being used for deepfakes. The creators therefore had to change their privacy policy.
Users of the free app can upload a picture of themselves and insert it into scenes from hundreds of famous films. For example, they can take on the role of Leonardo DiCaprio in "Titanic" or other films by the superstar. Users can use existing photos or have the app record themselves, asking them to blink and open their mouths to increase the deepfake quality of the videos.
According to the app's creators, the app's servers almost crashed last weekend due to the high demand. However, when consumers read through the privacy policy, many were annoyed and bad reviews poured in. Many were concerned about possible security risks to their privacy.
Revised privacy policy
The developers of Zao have now changed their privacy policy in response to the angry users. They state that images from users will only be used to improve the app or for measures that the users agree to. In addition, Zao would also remove images deleted by users from its own servers. "We understand the privacy concerns. We have received the feedback and will resolve the issues that we had not considered, which will take a little time," explained the creators in a post on the Weibo social network. (pte)
