Face off with FaceApp?

Secretly, most of us are obsessed with ageing. My theory, the one that I have been holding onto for a long time, definitely QED-ed itself this week. The virality of FaceApp proved how curious we are all about those two unmentioned words, "old age". What is FaceApp? Unless you have been living under a rock with no Internet access, you'd know that it's a Russian-made app that allows you to view your older or younger self using filters powered by Artificial Intelligence. Some time ago, this app walked into controversy with a feature that allowed users to change ethnicity. After withdrawing this feature, FaceApp continued to remain in existence but made news again when its 'old' feature was made free to use without the need of a Pro subscription.

In the last couple of days, people (famous and unknown) around the world flooded the Internet with pictures of their older selves. Over 100K million downloads of the app were registered. Not surprising though that most of the pictures were shared by men. Ageing is always a sensitive topic for women; nature is unkind to us; we mature and wither faster than men. For centuries, we have been conditioned to abhor lines and wrinkles; glossy magazines and brash consumerism taught us multitudinous ways to eliminate the said lines and wrinkles. When the promises made by creams and ointments didn't work, there was always the cosmetic surgeon to help iron out the wrinkles.

Yes, we should handle old age with maturity, age gracefully, yada yada. But truth be told, except a few who willingly accept the debilitating effects of ageing, most of us lesser mortals strive to delay sagging breasts and drooping eyelids to the farthest possibility. Call it vanity or insecurity, in our own little ways—an overnight anti-ageing face cream or daily yoga or consumption of vile vegetable juices—we are all fighting to preserve our best self for the years to come. Into this complicated relationship that we have with ageing, saunters in FaceApp as the speaker of Gospel truth. The algorithm used is both scary and creepy; its results though mixed turned out to be quite accurate for some, bringing 'age' and its by-products to the centre of the debate.

Opting from a bouquet of non-surgical solutions is as common as walking into a bespoke store. Botox, derma fillers, collagen inductions etc. are becoming increasingly popular among Indians, and not necessarily older ones. Doctors claim that young adults and at times, even teenagers, come seeking miracle cures to imaginary lines of ageing. With such hearty encouragement coming from all quarters, this industry is only slated to grow stronger with each passing fad. The anti-ageing industry has sustainably remained a robust one. Globally, the market was pegged at USD 42.51 billion in 2018. It is poised to reach USD 55.03 billion by 2023. In India, age-defying products worth Rs 5.6 billion were sold in 2016, and the market is slated to increase aggressively every year.

Sadly, this preoccupation with ageing is exacerbated when distractions like FaceApp show up. No one will accept it, but sneaky glances and surreptitious looks will surely be cast on the 'older' self. The only positive takeaway is to either mentally prepare for our waning future or strike a solid resolution to turn back the signs of ageing through a healthier lifestyle. I would prefer the latter because any chance at self-improvement can only come as a boon. As for FaceApp, I have uninstalled it; apparently, there are some serious privacy issues that allow your submitted pictures to be uploaded to the company's cloud. Unfortunately, I cannot uninstall the thoughts of ageing. Let's hope the mixed parentage genes kick in (fingers crossed)!

(The writer is a journalist and media entrepreneur. The views expressed are strictly personal)