What would you look like as a Hollywood star? Or, perhaps, as the opposite sex? How about a retiree?
Have a burning desire to know the answer to these questions? Fear not, Facebook is the place. Yes, the social media site can show you what you’d look like in a number of different scenarios, and people are loving it.
However, it’s possible not all is as it seems. The companies behind these tests may be interested in more than just running your face through a filter.
As per Metro, of Sweden, German company Social Sweethearts are the ones behind Nametests.com; the new, trending app you might have seen appearing so often in your newsfeeds.
So, you want to see how you’d look as a retiree. You agree to the terms of the company with a click of the mouse, and a filter is layered over your face. But that’s not all; you’ve also entered into a legally-binding agreement that gives the supplier comprehensive information about you and your friends.
Swedish IT security expert Fredrik Ljunggren, told Metro: “What it seems, is that you’re completely giving up access to your personal information. There seems to be an exaggerated naivety concerning what social media actually means. It’s not clear to everyone.”
3 billion visitors a month
According to the Metro article, Social Sweethearts claim to have three billion visitors a month. The page itself is available in 44 different languages.
“You should always think about what the company is getting in return. If people did, some of the exploitation would certainly disappear.”
So, probably best to spare a thought for how easily you might be giving away information.
Share this with your friends, so they can be informed to. If we can stop just one more person giving away personal information without knowing it, it will be worth it.
Top Photos: Private Photos and JaysonPhotography / Shutterstock.com
