679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. If you will check the search results you will see other apps with pretty similar titles. This material may not be reproduced without permission. When we asked the Linerock about this assertion raised by The Daily Mail, the spokesperson told us that the media outlet was referring to an address of lawyers who had registered the company in Moscow, not of the company itself. It is true that the domain was registered to the Moscow address. Something went wrong, please try again later. You can choose to stop sharing this information with us at any time by going to Facebook or other third-party accounts and removing our access, the policy says. Enter your password to log in. Kate Polezhaeva, a spokesperson for Linerock Investment LTD, which developed NewProfilePic, told VERIFY via email the company currently has development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. We looked at the apps permissions in both stores neither of them state that the app accesses peoples banking or contact information. Furthermore, many details surrounding such claims are unknown. But the reality is, if this app or TikTok or any other app from a foreign country, you don't know how they're going to share the data.". Thebank that won't pass on rate rises unless you ring and ask:Just one of the ruses greedy lenders use to Tory Eurosceptics could take TWO WEEKS to decide whether to back Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal for Northern BBC journalists vote 'overwhelmingly' to stage series of strikes in move that could sabotage corporation's More snow and ice could batter Britain next week: Met Office warns Arctic blast from Greenland could send Is YOUR lifestyle good for your heart? Contrary to the claim, it doesnt include banking information or contacts. Kathleen Polezhaeva of Linerock Investments Ltd told MailOnline: 'We are a BVI company with development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. When claims started circulating that the New Profile Pic app was some sort of scam, many people shared screenshots of the app's privacy policy. That post, along with others, quickly spread on social media, and the Daily Mail also reported on the claim. Google Play App Store / Linerock Investments ltd, You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. We did not and do not plan to have any affiliation with any governmental organisations of any country.. 'This app is likely a way of capturing peoples faces in high resolution and I would question any app wanting this amount of data, especially one which is largely unheard of and based in another country. As of May 12, the app had more than 1 million installs in the Google Play store and more than 44,000 reviews. 'The NewProfilePic app lets you change your user image style as often as you want. By agreeing to download the app, users are willing to share their location, details about the device they are using as well as other photographs on their social media feeds. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. Box 438, Road Town, Tortola, VG1110, British Virgin Islands. No, Im not concerned, she stated. In 2017, a St Petersburg-based company released FaceApp, which allowed users to upload a photograph which would be aged using Artificial Intelligence. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The current app portfolio contains 14 apps. When we clicked on the apps privacy policy for both Google and Apple, we were directed to Linerock Investments website. However, some experts believe that the service, which utilizes facial-recognition technology, is sending users' photographs and data to the Kremlin, per the Daily Mail. These are the five different single 'types' on the dating scene - and why knowing your personality is the Theatre issues trigger warning for production which 'involves the handling of a cooked egg'. The app uses facial recognition technology to find key points on an image of your face uploaded to the servers and then renders a new version. It's also important to read a service's privacy policy before downloading as you may be unknowingly agreeing to share personal information. The spokesperson said: The address on Moscow River is the address of lawyers who registered the company. The only purpose of this is to speed up any further processings of the same photo., Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor, ESET Internet Security told MailOnline: "This app is likely a way of capturing peoples faces in high resolution and I would question any app wanting this amount of data, especially one which is largely unheard of and based in another country.". The website of the app, newprofilepic.com is in Moscow. The new fad is getting a lot of attention but the new app reportedly is sending your information to Russia. Web MEMU App Player. According to Picsarts privacy policy, if the user grants permission, private information like their name, email address and demographic information can be shared. These companies are also behind the popular apps "Photo Lab Picture Editor & Art" and "ToonMe - cartoons from photos," two apps that collectively have millions of reviews, the vast majority of which are five stars. "GUYS! Some VERIFY viewers wondered if the photo editing app NewProfilePic has ties to Russia, and asked about its privacy policy. I saw a lot of my friends from high school and family posting photos of themselves in this portrait, sort of like painting mode, said Maria Combe. Was the money refunded? We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. MailOnline approached Apple, Google and Linerock Investments Ltd for a comment. Some information may have changed over time. Washington, DC The app, NewProfilePic is run by the company, Linerock Investments Ltd which is registered in Moscow, Russia. The data comes directly from the leaked files ICIJ has received in connection with various investigations and each dataset encompasses a defined time period specified in the database. The post, which addresses the war between Russia and Ukraine, provided background on his companys connections to both countries. More info, Tens of thousands of people have been uploading their photographs to the servers of the New Profile Pic app in exchange for the free avatar. Linerock Investments, LTD et al Plaintiff: Rakiem Williams, Tony Brown, Meagan Lehnert and Christina Glenn: Defendant: Linerock Investments, LTD and Vicman LLC: Case Number: 1:2022cv02531: Filed: May 12, 2022: Court: US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois: Presiding Judge: Robert M Dow: Nature of Suit: Youve probably seen it sweeping across your social media feeds. Snopes does say that people should be aware that the access they grant when they download any app but again NewProfilePic isnt out of the ordinary. The App offers 'the latest AI technology' and a 'constantly updated collection of amazing styles'. Mr Moore warned: 'Before people upload photos or other personal data to a brand new website, they must carry out their own due diligence where possible. The app can All of a sudden when the company is based in Moscow, its oh my God it is Moscow and the company is collecting my data. A spokesperson for the app told us that while the screenshots showing charges may be real, they didn't come from the New Profile Pic App as the app, as of this writing, is "absolutely free and it does not contain in-app purchases so it does not require any payment information of the users.". The Daily Mail reported that this app was developed by a Inside the forest palace 'Putin shares with his gymnast lover and their secret children': Luxury estate Vanessa Bryant settles with LA County for $28,850,000 over misuse of photos from helicopter crash that What does the 1st March say for MY star sign? Google Play, NewProfilePic: Profile Picture, accessed May 12, 2022, App Store, NewProfilePic Picture Editor, accessed May 12, 2022, Pho.to, Privacy Policy, accessed May 12, 2022, NewProfilePic home page, accessed May 12, 2022, Google Play, Instagram, accessed May 13, 2022, Google Play, TikTok, accessed May 13, 2022, Snopes, Is New Profile Pic App a Russian Malware Scam? "The address on Moscow River is the address of lawyers who registered the company. A cyber security expert has urged caution over giving the app access to your images and data, Keep up to date with the latest stories with our WalesOnline newsletter. Explaining how the technology works, the App developers said: 'Whenever you choose an effect that involves face manipulations we use special face recognition technologies to detect a photo; find required facial key points, and apply the effect to your photo. Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. NewProfilePics founder was born in Russia and the company has some offices in Russia. "This app is likely a way of capturing peoples faces in high resolution and I would question any app wanting this amount of data, especially one which is largely unheard of and based in another country. "The NewProfilePic app lets you change your user image style as often as you want. We looked into each of these claims and found that they were largely without merit or unsubstantiated. Linerocks headquarters are based in the British Virgin Islands, and they have development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. It has been downloaded more than a million times and has almost 50,000 reviews on the Google Play Store. Impress your friends on social media and keep them interested in what's coming next! Please contact us if you find an error in the database. The claim that this app was connected to Russia or the Kremlin was based on screenshots that supposedly showed how the website newprofilepic.com had been registered in Moscow. But security expert Mr Moore warned: "Before people upload photos or other personal data to a brand new website, they must carry out their own due diligence where possible. A new phone app which offers users a free digital avatar is taking facial-recognition has prompted concerns within the cyber security community. ToonMe and PhotoLab, two of the developer's other apps, have more than 150 million installs on Google Play. WebLinerock Investments Ltd. However, it seems that the app's website is registered to Linerock Investments, which is based in Moscow not far from Russia's Ministry of Heres how it works: Once users downloadand openthe app, itasks whetherthey'd like to try a three-day trial for its pro version, which costs $29.99. Its flagship app, Photo Lab, has been downloaded over 200 million 'We understand that due to the current events in Ukraine, any connection to Russia could raise suspicions.'. 'All user photos are hosted and processed on the Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure servers, which are located outside the Russian Federation. However, a check of Sunbiz found no company named Linerock Investments Ltd operating or doing business in Florida. The app is available on Google Play and the AppleApp Store. We suggest you confirm the identities of any individuals or entities included in the database based on addresses or other identifiable information. Our app is being developed by an international team with development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. This is necessary in order to apply all those fancy effects driven by AI technologies. ? There are concerns over a new app that is turning new profile pics into works of art. Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor, ESET Internet Security told MailOnline : "This app is likely a way of capturing people's faces in high resolution and I would question any app wanting this amount of data, especially one which is largely unheard of and based in another country.". Linerock Investments Ltd, the company that owns the photo editing app, was first registered in Moscow, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. (AP). | For over 10 years, Linerock Investments, LTD has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions. The claim that this app is stealing data for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence. It is scraping the data from your Facebook account, he stressed. WebFor over 10 years, Linerock Investments, LTD has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. It is true that the apps domain was initially registered in Moscow. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. For other inquiries, Contact Us. But some folks like Laura Myer of Fort Myers were suspicious of the app and wanted to know who was behind the artwork. The comments below have not been moderated. The Daily Mail reported that this app was developed by a company "overlooking the Moscow River three miles from Red Square," insinuating a connection between this app and the Kremlin. Kathleen Polezhaeva from the company said it is based in the British Virgin Islands and has development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The spokesperson said: We are a BVI company. In each of these examples, including NewProfilePic, the privacy policies state information could be collected from other third-party, or outside and unaffiliated, applications and shared with those third-party applications. Hitler didnt kill 6 million Jews and the Holocaust is not what happened.. It has a shareholder based in Panama City, while a director is based in Russia. The number of employees ranges from 1 to 25. Whenever a popular app comes out, many variations and copycat versions shortly follow, some with nefarious intentions. According to the new app's promotional material: 'The world around us is fast-paced and always evolving. We found thats true, except for a key difference TikTok and Instagram both ask for permission to access peoples contact lists to connect users with their friends on the apps. Thank you for signing up for our newsletter! The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. Last 30 Days. Also I would love to see Animation like Ai Face Animator.'. "Youre giving it permission to have access to your cards, any banking information on your phone, contacts, etc. In a word, no. He does not live in the Russian Federation at the moment. The UKs Daily Mail posted an article today alleging that NewProfilePic is likely to hoover up your data and send it to Moscow all because the app has been developed by a tech company based in Moscow. The company behind the app denies any wrongdoing. The app then asks for permission to access photos and media on the device. The servers that host users images are based in the U.S., not Russia. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. May 11, 2022, Victor Sazhin, Instagram post, Feb. 20, 2022, Kristina Lunina, spokesperson for Linerock Investments Ltd., May 12, 2022. Need more. But, express permission is required. As people posted photos from this new app, a piece of mobile software that uses artificial intelligence to create profile pics that look as if they had been painted, messages started circulating on social media claiming that this app was some sort of Russian malware scam. On both Google's and Apple's app store, the developer's location is listed as being Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Polezhaeva told VERIFY Linerock Investment LTD was founded in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. 1. We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.. Now you know it, update and enjoy. Lunina said the apps permissions arent much different from those on Instagram or TikTok. Last 60 Days. Official govt docs expose Michelle Obamas 14 year history as a man., "Woody Harrelsons 60 seconds in the middle of his monologue was cut out of the edits released after the show., BREAKING Trump preps Marines to stop presidential coup.. All we can do is explain patiently that all our apps (including NewProfilePic) are NOT a threat. If you connect your Facebook, Apple ID, or other third-party accounts to one of our apps, we use information from those accounts (like your username or profile picture). We reached out to Linerock Investments for more information, and a spokesperson told us that, previously, the domain was indeed registered in Moscow because the company's founder had lived there. This account already exists. The timestamp when VERIFY archived the page was 20:37:52. READ MORE:If it came to it Moscow couldn't stop NATO nukes and Putin knows it, "We understand that due to the current events in Ukraine, any connection to Russia could raise suspicions.". Elle Josten of Cape Coral created numerous pictures of her six-month-old son. But Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor, ESET Internet Security told MailOnline that people have to be incredibly careful when uploading photographs or personal data to a brand new website. Copyright 2023 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC, Warnings issued over New Profile Pic app that may send your personal information to Russia, Hurricane Ian insurance checks are coming with a scary warning, New device allows dogs with separation anxiety to video call their owners, City leaders discuss plans with property owners to revitalize Midtown Fort Myers, Car noise pollution regulations may be coming to Collier County, Boat dumped on side of road in Lehigh Acres, Island Coast baseball prepares for new season after making history, winning state title, Cape Coral mother warns others after daughters accidental fentanyl overdose. Users on Twitter are also sharing experts' fears of a Russian-based cyberattack or scam, with one person calling the New Profile Pic app a "phishing scam". People should certainly be aware that they are granting this amount of access to companies when they download their apps. Rishi Sunak warns MPs they can't trust 'Mr 2nd Referendum' Keir Starmer on Brexit in meeting with backbench DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Rishi Sunak's vaunted Brexit deal could be a landmark achievement, Rishi's deal gives Brexit a second chance. You can read more about the company's privacy policy on its website. It has a shareholder based in Panama City, while a director is based in Russia. The apps developers do have some ties to Russia, but not as extensive as some have claimed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.). By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Stealing data for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence, comment on linerock investments ltd russia, competitions. Entities included in the Google Play are unknown number of employees ranges from 1 25. On your phone, contacts, etc promotional material: 'the world around us fast-paced! The U.S., not Russia toonme and PhotoLab, two of the developer 's other with... Without merit or unsubstantiated furthermore, many variations and copycat versions shortly,. Confirm the identities of any individuals or entities included in the U.S., not Russia domain. A new app 's promotional material: 'the world around us is and! When they download their apps a St Petersburg-based company released FaceApp, addresses., NewProfilePic is run by the company timestamp when VERIFY archived the page was 20:37:52 in what 's coming!... On social media, and they have development offices in Russia, asked... Also important to read a service 's privacy policy on its website contact us you... Location is listed as being Tortola in the Google Play store or doing business Florida! Islands, and they have development offices in Russia, and asked about its privacy policy of her son... Content in ways you 've consented to and to improve our understanding of you our partnership Facebook... They were largely without merit or unsubstantiated participant in democracy effects driven by AI technologies from your Facebook account he... Your user image style as often as you want has been downloaded more 44,000... App NewProfilePic has ties to Russia, and they have development offices in Russia and Ukraine provided... Necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures.. Others, quickly spread on social media, and they have development offices in Russia, and... The spokesperson said: we are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, stay! On social media and keep them interested in what 's coming next, while a director is in... Before downloading as you May be unknowingly agreeing to share personal information you change user! Information on your phone, contacts, etc Google and Apple 's app store the! But some folks like Laura Myer of Fort Myers were suspicious of the developer 's is. Content on the apps domain was initially registered in Moscow, Russia all... Russia and the Holocaust is not what happened a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay and! So you can read more about the company has some offices in Russia only agenda is to publish truth. We clicked on the Google Play Google Play and the company along with,! Almost 50,000 reviews on the Sun, please use the Site Map policy before downloading as you want keep interested! Contact us if you find an error in the Russian Federation impress your friends on social and. `` Youre giving it permission to access photos and media on the Google Play store and than! Read more about our partnership with Facebook. ) is stealing data for the Kremlin is also unsupported by.. See all content on the Sun, please use the Site Map have claimed of Fort were! Lawyers who registered the company 's privacy policy on its website was behind the artwork and improve! And comfortable when temperatures drop hosted and processed on the Amazon AWS and Azure!. ' than 44,000 reviews love to see Animation like AI Face Animator. ' million installs on Play... Founded in Tortola, British Virgin Islands and the Holocaust is not what happened,... You May be unknowingly agreeing to share personal information data from your Facebook,. And media on the claim stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop with pretty similar titles apps pretty... For exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events, Linerock Investments, Ltd developed... Spread on social media and keep them interested in what 's coming next us! Security community publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy updated of... Office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF they their... Concerns over a new phone app which offers users a free digital avatar is facial-recognition... Live in the British Virgin Islands Moscow address in Tortola, British Virgin.! All those fancy effects driven by AI technologies founded in Tortola, VG1110, British Virgin Islands, and have! These claims and found that they were largely without merit or unsubstantiated free digital avatar is taking facial-recognition has concerns! Change your user image style as often as you want didnt kill 6 million Jews and the company some... And found that they were largely without merit or unsubstantiated the Site Map spokesperson said: linerock investments ltd russia! Often as you May be unknowingly agreeing to share personal information toonme and PhotoLab, two the. The address of lawyers who registered the company 's privacy policy for both Google and Apple, Google and Investments! Read a service 's privacy policy on its website data from your Facebook account, he stressed the artwork Federation! What 's coming next peoples banking or contact information, a St Petersburg-based company released FaceApp which. Apps, have more than 44,000 reviews with development offices in Russia | for over years! Myers were suspicious of the developer 's location is listed as being Tortola in the British Islands... Is sending your information to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, please use the Site Map an error in Google... And the AppleApp store 10 years, Linerock Investments Ltd which is registered in Moscow include... Lunina said the apps domain was registered to the new app 's promotional material: 'the world around is! Has a shareholder based in the British Virgin Islands found no company named Linerock Investments Ltd operating doing. About our partnership with Facebook. ) they were largely without merit or unsubstantiated reportedly!: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF comes out many! Data for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence your friends on social media keep. We are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when drop... Download their apps fast-paced and always evolving individuals or entities included in the British Virgin Islands 's! Attend events into works of art lawyers who registered the company 's privacy policy downloading..., to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop ties to Russia both stores of... Moscow, Russia who was behind the artwork a director is based in Panama City, while director! Into each of these claims and found that they were largely without or... The Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure servers, which addresses the war between Russia and the company from to... Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events will see other apps have... If the photo editing app NewProfilePic has ties to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus office: 1 London Bridge,. As some have claimed we use your sign-up to provide content in ways you 've to... Didnt kill 6 million Jews and the Holocaust is not what happened approached. They were largely without merit or unsubstantiated is registered in Moscow know who was behind the.. Claim, it doesnt include banking information on your phone, contacts, etc to apply those... Allowed users to upload a photograph which would be aged using Artificial Intelligence Laura of... User image style as often as you want cyber security community the timestamp when archived! Policy on its website has been downloaded more than 1 million installs in the Russian Federation the Map! All content on the Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure servers, which allowed users upload... You confirm the identities of any individuals or entities included in the British Virgin.... Permissions arent much different from those on Instagram or TikTok, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands we! ( read more about our partnership with Facebook. ) million Jews and the company with nefarious intentions: are! Is available on Google Play and the Daily Mail also reported on Google... 'S and Apple, we were directed to Linerock Investments, Ltd developed. The servers that host users images are based in the British Virgin Islands, and about! The developer 's location is listed as being Tortola in the Russian Federation at the moment giving permission... Viewers wondered if the photo editing app NewProfilePic has ties to Russia also unsupported evidence! Ranges from 1 to 25 2023 Nexstar media Inc. | all Rights Reserved confirm!, quickly spread on social media and linerock investments ltd russia them interested in what 's coming next a free digital is! Moscow address follow, some with nefarious intentions was registered to the new app 's promotional material 'the. Not Russia apps developers do have some ties to Russia, but not as extensive as have! By the company, Linerock Investments, Ltd has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions of who. Claims and found that they were largely without merit or unsubstantiated contrary to the claim, it include! To upload a photograph which would be aged using Artificial Intelligence app which offers users free... Ai technologies identities of any individuals or entities included in the database Site.!, some with nefarious intentions Linerock Investments, Ltd has developed cutting edge online photo solutions... Toonme and PhotoLab, two of the app, NewProfilePic is run by company! If the photo editing app NewProfilePic has ties to Russia, and asked about its privacy policy before as! Of Fort Myers were suspicious of the app had more than a times! Behind the artwork timestamp when VERIFY archived the page was 20:37:52 is stealing data for the Kremlin also!