A smartphone app that is becoming popular among teenagers known as Photo Roulette has gotten some parents up in arms over concerns that the app violates their privacy and potentially exposes their private pictures.
The app is a game where users first give the app permission to access all of their photos; then, within a group of up to 49, each player will have one of their pictures randomly chosen and shared and the other players need to guess from whom the picture came from.
While the app may seem suspicious, it apparently does not violate any of the Apple Store guidelines as users need to give it permission.
In a report that appeared in the Wall Street Journal, one family was playing the game together when their teenage daughter suddenly had an embarrassing photo appear – specifically, it was a belfie (“butt selfie” for the unaware) of her trying on skinny jeans.
While that example may seem somewhat tame, it’s easy to understand why a photo like that would be embarrassing if it popped up in front of one’s entire family.
But the game is not always played amongst family, and in some cases it could be played amongst strangers or teens that want to one-up each other in a manner similar to the classic game of truth or dare.
But sharing embarrassing photos isn’t entirely what has parents concerned. It’s also the fact that these photos are being shared through an online platform where screen captures can happen and potentially life destroying photos can be kept and shared with no limit.
According to the creators of the app, their goal was to make a game that was “for people to play with their close friends and family. We want everyone to have a fun and safe experience when playing and have multiple measures in place to ensure this.”
Further, the company states that they have no control over which photos are selected during a game.
Another concern that the app raises is that not all photos on phones are just harmless or salacious – some may be photographs of sensitive documents like medical records or pictures of a passport
If one of these were to pop up, the fallout could be potentially a lot more harmful than an embarrassing belfie, or a picture of someone flexing with their shirt off in front of a mirror.
In addition to photos you have taken yourself, the app can also apparently dip into pictures that you have received via SMS.
That could include private or sensitive photos of other people – meaning you could expose their information without their consent or knowledge.
In the end, this is just another example of the risks of exposing the veritable treasure trove of information that most of us keep on our mobile devices.
It may seem fun to share photos at random when it’s just pictures of our pets or ourselves, but the fun can end very quickly once something sensitive, scandalous, or lascivious is exposed in front of a group of friends, family, or even total strangers.