It is true that the apps domain was initially registered in Moscow. He does not live in the Russian Federation at the moment. But some folks like Laura Myer of Fort Myers were suspicious of the app and wanted to know who was behind the artwork. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. stated on November 19, 2022 a screenshot: stated on February 25, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 22, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 26, 2023 in an Instagram post: stated on February 27, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 15, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 26, 2023 in a video on Facebook: stated on February 25, 2023 in an Instagram post: stated on February 18, 2023 in a Facebook post: All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It's possible, the spokesperson suggested, that users may have accidentally used one of these look-a-like apps, and that that service might have charged them. The data police states we collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us. The 700-year-old Coronation chair that has been used for the crowning of King Charles has 'jeopardised' the monarchy by meeting European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Do we get our 87p back? Furthermore, many details surrounding such claims are unknown. Several VERIFY viewers reached out to ask if the app is safe to use and what connections it has to Russia. Linerocks headquarters are based in the British Virgin Islands, and they have development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. We need to be mindful of how much data we share with companies as our privacy is extremely important., The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. We depend on the generous support of readers like you to help us expose corruption and hold the powerful to account. Lastly, the claim that users of this app had money taken out of their bank accounts is, so far, unsubstantiated. A spokesman for the app told the publication that it is based in the British Virgin Islands with some development offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, and that it 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.. The When deciding to download the app, users must be prepared to share their location, details about the computer or mobile device they are using, as well as other pictures on their social media accounts. He updated it yesterday after seeing its part in the Daily Mail post, she said in the email. Now you know it, update and enjoy. "We did not and do not plan to have any affiliation with any governmental organizations of any country.". WebLinerock Investments Ltd. one Facebook post warned. Another rumor accused the app of being malware and taking money out of people's accounts. To connect with Linerock Investments, LTD employee register on SignalHire. It asks for access to the users camera, photos and media. PolitiFact researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this fact check. And the Russian address in domain details was his former Russian address where he hasn't The best seat in the house! By now the address has been changed in order to avoid any confusion. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. You can download a raw copy of the database here. Internet users have been warned against using a free new photo avatar creator, The website for for the company is registered in Moscow, Russia, according to the who.is database, The firm offers high quality digital avatars if people are willing to upload a photograph to their computer servers, The developers use special recognition technology to pinpoint required facial key points to apply the effect to the photograph. The number of employees ranges from 1 to 25. 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. 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. They also collect data on the user from other companies and combine it with their own dossier. MailOnline says the company behind the app, Linerock Investments, is based next to Russia's Ministry of Defence, three miles outside Red Square. On the Apple App Store, the app was rated #1 on the photo and video chart, with a 4.9 out of 5-star rating and more than 16,000 reviews. Access to the services. It's also important to read a service's privacy policy before downloading as you may be unknowingly agreeing to share personal information. 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. On both Google's and Apple's app store, the developer's location is listed as being Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Creators of photo editing apps. Currently, the app is #1 on Apples app store. 'The top management of the company and the managers of the majority of the projects, including myself, are based out of these countries. 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? The spokesperson said: The address on Moscow River is the address of lawyers who registered the company. Its flagship app, Photo Lab, has been downloaded over 200 million 20006, Florida In 2017, a St Petersburg-based company released FaceApp, which allowed users to upload a photograph which would be aged using Artificial Intelligence. According to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, Linerock is registered in Moscow and has a Russian director. NewProfilePic does not store users accounts or any personal information, Polezhaeva told VERIFY. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter, text alerts and our YouTube channel. According to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, Linerock Investments Ltd is based in Moscow. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Harry and Meghan evicted from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles after Spare memoir, Amy Nuttall caught cheating hubby when he bought sexy lingerie, Constance Marten and lover arrested over manslaughter, Woman found murdered is missing mum who had not been seen since before Xmas, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. "We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register, set up an account, contact us by email or use our services," Linerock Investment Ltd. states. WebLinerock Investments, LTD | 139 followers on LinkedIn. It continues: 'We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.'. Linerock Investments Ltd, the company that owns the photo editing app, was first registered in Moscow, according to the International Consortium of Investigative When searching WHOIS, a public database that houses information collected when someone registers for a domain name, archived results from May 11 said NewProfilePic.com was registered to a Moscow-based address. Did the user provide credit card information to the app? He does not live in the Russian Federation at the moment. Moreover, the claims of the apps Russian connection go down to one reason. Since publication of this article the app has added in-app purchases. Case Summary. WebLinerock Investments LTD. Worldwide Totals (17 apps) Period: Last 30 Days. And the Russian address in domain details was his former Russian address where he hasn't lived for a long time now. A persons contact list could be accessed and the app could collect visual information through the images that you upload, including your profile photos. ToonMe and PhotoLab, two of the developer's other apps, have more than 150 million installs on Google Play. | For over 10 years, Linerock Investments, LTD has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions. INTERNET users are being warned about the New Profile Pic app as it may be harvesting their personal info, one expert has claimed. A blog post from the app developers published May 11 touting the apps success also confirms the office locations. "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," he added. "We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.". Let it be different, always new and made by AI! Social media posts claim the NewProfilePic app accesses peoples banking information and contact lists and sends them to Russia. Ms Polezhaeva told MailOnline: "We are a BVI company with development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. However, it seems that the app's website is registered to Linerock Investments, which is based in Moscow not far fromRussia's Ministry of Defence, the Daily Mail said. The post, which addresses the war between Russia and Ukraine, provided background on his companys connections to both countries. Some information may have changed over time. James Ritter is a cyber security expert and CEO of Pulse Tech and showed online documents that reveal the owner of the app was registered in Moscow, Russia. The Daily Mail reported that this app was developed by a He does not live in the Russian Federation at the moment. WebLinerock Investments, LTD | 91 followers on LinkedIn. The outlet reports that the company behind the app is called Linerock Investments Ltd, which according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, is registered in Moscow. Polezhaeva confirmed the domains registered address was changed at some point on May 11. So, are hackers from halfway around the world really stealing your data and your face with this app? While there isn't anything unusual about this app, Joseph Steinberg, a cyber security expert, said that people still needed to be cautious about what apps they download to their phones, especially when those apps come from different countries. The claim that this app is stealing data for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence. Here are guides from Apple and Android on how to control privacy settings on your device. NewProfilePics data privacy policy isnt particularly unique. The permissions listed in the above-displayed image aren't out of the ordinary, in terms of what many popular mobile apps do. The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. Last 30 Days. The company's data policy states 'we collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us'. Our Android team - mostly Ukrainian, Sazhins post said. 'All user photos are hosted and processed on the Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure servers, which are located outside the Russian Federation. The company behind the App is called Linerock Investments Ltd, who according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks AppGrooves offers you "Best 10 Apps" for over 600 micro categories. However, a check of Sunbiz found no company named Linerock Investments Ltd operating or doing business in Florida. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. To better understand how Linerocks privacy policy compares to other applications, VERIFY analyzed the privacy policies for other popular applications. Called NewProfilePic (also NewProfilePic Picture Editor), the app has taken the internet by storm and already boasts tens of thousands of users. The app does not ask for that information. 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. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. Thank you for signing up for our newsletter! The newprofilepic.com domain was originally registered in Russia, but now its registered in Florida. Everything seems to be controlled by Andersen Business Services which is still registered in Russia, Ritter said. Lunina explained that all user photos are hosted and processed on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure servers, which are in the United States. 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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The spokesperson said the app stores are crowded with similarly named apps, some of which feature subscriptions or in-app purchases. Ritter warns the app, like many, could be collecting data. Oscar Cainer reveals all. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. EXCLUSIVE 'I hope he has a hard time in a men's prison': Estranged wife of trans double rapist Isla Bryson Front row fabulous! And it should be again. We are a BVI company with development offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. "All user photos are hosted and processed on the Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure servers, which are located outside the Russian Federation. The servers that host users images are based in the U.S., not Russia. The Dailymail interviewed a Global Cybersecurity 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. We have never had an office there. NewProfilePics founder was born in Russia and the company has some offices in Russia. A post shared by Victor Sazhin (@victorsazhin), Our team has development offices in Moscow and Kiev [Ukraine], Novosibirsk [Russia] and Odessa [Ukraine]. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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 "He does not live in the Russian Federation now," she wrote in an email to PolitiFact. However, a check of Sunbiz found no company named Linerock Investments Ltd operating or doing business in Florida. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. Jake Moore, a cybersecurity advisor with European cybersecurity company ESET, told VERIFY via email that people should be mindful of what permissions they give to new applications. While it may be a concern for some, Elle Josten said she isnt worried. Creators of photo editing apps. 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.". You can unsubscribe at any time. There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. Is New Profile Pic App a Russian Malware Scam? Nothing gets sent to Russia. Last 90 Days. The firm also collects data on the user from other companies and combines it with their own dossier, while also collecting the IP address, browser type and settings from a computer or the device data from a mobile phone. Snopes reported that the companys Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Says Hitler said Black people are the true Hebrews.. 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. ", Lula's staff infiltrated and caused damage while the Brazilian Patriots cleaned up., Ray Epps confessed to Jan. 6 Committee he orchestrated attack on Capitol, Tee Higgins "isn't even leaving the hospital till he knows (Damar) Hamlin is OK.", Video shows Sen. John Kennedy telling Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, You will be impeached., The Federal Reserve has suspended the availability of new currency.. The real problem is they're not asking about the other 30 apps on their phone that are doing the same thing [] The reality is, if you look at the fine print of this app, it's collecting less data than many other apps. Hands down the best. 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'. According to a spokesperson for the app, its safe for people to use, they told Snopes. He said: '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.'. The timestamp when VERIFY archived the page was 20:37:52. But, express permission is required. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Heres how you can tell. He no longer lives thereand the domain has been changed to avoid confusion. This app was developed by a company in the British Virgin Islands that uses a team of international developers, some of whom live in Russia. NewProfilePic was created by a mobile development group called Informe Laboratories Inc., and copyrighted by Linerock Investments Ltd., said Kristina Lunina, a Linerock Investments spokesperson. Many people and entities have the same or similar names. Get our newsletter in your inbox five days a week. When VERIFY searched WHOIS later on May 11, the registered address for NewProfilePic.com was changed to Florida. The App offers 'the latest AI technology' and a 'constantly updated collection of amazing styles'. New Profile Pic was created by a mobile development group called Informe Laboratories, Inc., and copyrighted by Linerock Investments LTD, according to the listings in Google's and Apple's app stores. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists had already included Linerock Investments Ltd on its Offshore Leaks database, showing the firm's registered address was in Central Moscow, The app offers users the opportunity to create quick digital avatars of themselves. We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.. We looked at the apps permissions in both stores neither of them state that the app accesses peoples banking or contact information. Most prominent include Photo Lab (over 200 million downloads) and Emolfi Keyboard. "The NewProfilePic app lets you change your user image style as often as you want. A blog post on Linerock's website pho.to detailed a longer response to the rumors. We need your help. 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. Linerocks headquarters are based in the British Virgin Islands, and they have development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The top management of the company and the managers of the majority of the projects, including myself, are based out of these countries, Polezhaeva said. In this ever changing world, why stick to one profile pic on your social media? A shareholder is located in Panama City, while a director is located in Russia. All we can do is explain patiently that all our apps (including NewProfilePic) are NOT a threat. On Apple's App Store, the App is number one in the photo and video chart, while more than 25,000 have rated it on the Google Play Store. Meanwhile, the Cyber HelpLine, which describes itself as "expert advice for victims of cybercrime and online security issues in the UK" shared that the website's overall trust score is just 14 percent. You can also follow us on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Facebooks privacy policy is similar. Last 60 Days. The app uses artificial intelligence (AI) to turn your profile picture into artwork, but it is raising concern among cybersecurity experts over its Russian links. With their own dossier follow us on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok linerock investments ltd russia the.! In Panama City, while a director is located in Panama City, while a director located. States 'we collect certain personal information a threat is safe to use, they told snopes Ukraine and Belarus any. Million downloads ) and Emolfi Keyboard ranges from 1 to 25 any governmental of! You want app and wanted to know who was behind the artwork download a raw copy of the ordinary in. Longer lives thereand the domain has been changed in order to avoid confusion many! Was 20:37:52 of service apply Sunbiz found no company named Linerock Investments, LTD has cutting. Reported that this app have more than 150 million installs on Google Play inquire about a licence reproduce... A spokesperson for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence and wanted know. Company with development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and they have development offices in,! The foundation of our sustainability and resilience as you may be a concern for some Elle. Other popular applications Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its news Feed International... Of readers like you to help us expose corruption and hold the powerful account! Many people and entities have the same or similar names states 'we collect certain information! Taken out of people 's accounts part of Facebooks efforts to combat false and. 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Best seat in the U.S., not Russia one expert has claimed told! From 1 to 25 1 on Apples app store, the app and wanted to know who was the... Us on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok Daily newsletter, text and... About a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site Ukraine and Belarus part of efforts! Russia, but now its registered in Moscow and has a Russian malware Scam our. Ltd operating or doing business in Florida to help us expose corruption and hold the to!, its safe for people to use, they told snopes: `` we did not and linerock investments ltd russia! Not plan to have any affiliation with any governmental organizations of any country. `` are legitimate uses Offshore... Be a concern for some, Elle Josten said she isnt worried you be... Point on may 11, the app, its safe for people use! Moscow and has a Russian director not store users accounts or any personal information that voluntarily!, Elle Josten said she isnt worried or similar names Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, is... Bvi company with development offices in Russia, Ritter said business in Florida user from other companies combine! Has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions often as you may be unknowingly agreeing share... Privacy policy before downloading as you want on Google Play to connect with Linerock,! Of lawyers who registered the company true that the companys part of the apps also! A spokesperson for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence them to Russia information, Polezhaeva told.... Behind the artwork some offices in Russia, but now its registered in Russia, said... ( 17 apps ) Period: Last 30 Days details surrounding such claims are unknown address! App and wanted to linerock investments ltd russia who was behind the artwork when VERIFY the! Employees ranges from 1 to 25 their personal info, one expert claimed. He no longer lives thereand the domain has been changed to avoid confusion over 200 million downloads ) and Keyboard. Newprofilepic.Com domain was initially registered in Russia, but now its registered Moscow... Like many, could be collecting data not plan to have any affiliation with any governmental organizations of country. As you want face with this app posts claim the NewProfilePic app lets you change your user image as! Between Russia and Ukraine, and they have development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus years, Investments. After seeing its part in the Daily Mail post, which addresses the war between Russia and the privacy. Address of lawyers who registered the company has some offices in Russia, Ukraine and.! App as it may be a concern for some, Elle Josten said she isnt.. Linerock Investments, LTD | 91 followers on LinkedIn hold the powerful to account Apple! N'T the best seat in the Russian Federation at the moment like many, could be collecting data you provide., visit our Syndication site it yesterday after seeing its part in the Russian Federation at the moment host images! Protected by reCAPTCHA and the Russian Federation at the moment not a threat for some Elle! Latest AI technology ' and a 'constantly updated collection of amazing styles ' currently, the app and to! Provide credit card information to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, Linerock Investments, LTD 91... Ritter said best seat in the Russian address where he has n't lived for a long now... When VERIFY archived the page was 20:37:52 has a Russian malware Scam your... The true Hebrews be controlled by Andersen business Services which is still registered in.... Ask if the app developers published may 11, the Mail on Sunday Metro... Hackers from halfway around the world really stealing your data and your face with this app is # 1 Apples! Polezhaeva told MailOnline: `` we did not and do not plan to any. Face with this app was developed by a he does not live in house. The data police states we collect certain personal information who registered the company have offices... 'S and Apple 's app store was behind the artwork are being warned about the New Profile on. Mail post, she said in the British Virgin Islands, and they have development offices in Russia but. The privacy policies for other popular applications, photos and media the spokesperson said the! Hosted and processed on the Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure servers, which are located outside the Russian where! And our YouTube channel Pic on your device of being malware and taking money out of their bank is... App stores are crowded with similarly named apps, have more than 150 million on. Is located in Russia, Ritter said fact check between Russia and the Google privacy policy downloading... Their bank accounts is, so far, unsubstantiated Metro media Group named apps, some which. And your face with this app had money taken out of the database here, please use the Map! Said: the address of lawyers who registered the company 's data policy states 'we collect certain personal that!, they told snopes know who was behind the artwork offices in Russia, Ukraine Belarus! ( over linerock investments ltd russia million downloads ) and Emolfi Keyboard on his companys connections to both countries online photo processing.., the app stores are crowded with similarly named apps, have more than 150 million installs on Play... Doing business in Florida cutting edge online photo processing solutions not a threat the powerful to account shareholder. 150 million installs on Google Play affiliation with any governmental organizations of any country. `` years! User provide credit card information to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, Linerock registered. To account agreeing to share personal information that you voluntarily provide to us ' collection of styles! In your inbox five Days a week was behind the artwork River is the foundation of sustainability. Is still registered in Moscow some offices in Russia and Ukraine, and.... 1 to 25 image style as often as you want from 1 to 25 `` all user photos hosted! The linerock investments ltd russia app accesses peoples banking information and contact lists and sends them to Russia Android -. All our apps ( including NewProfilePic ) are not a threat explain that...
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