Controversial iPhone app searches Facebook for bikini photos

Badabing uses image recognition technology to find "sexy pics" of your friends on Facebook. (iTunes/Badabing)A new iPhone app called Badabing, designed to quickly find bikini photos of your friends on Facebook, is getting a critical eye from privacy advocates.

Using object detection technology, the $3.99 app seeks out scantily-clad bodies in your friends' photos.  

It then lists the images found as thumbnails, allowing users to bookmark their favourites to save for later on their mobile phones.

Photos of women at the pool or beach are the algorithm's main target according to its description in the app store, but users report that baby photos are often returned as well.

While the app is only available for download by iPhone users over the age of 17, there are no restrictions on the ages of those whose photos can be picked up by Badabing.

(iTunes/Badabing)

If the concept feels icky to you, you're not alone.

Drew Olanoff  wrote on TechCrunch Sunday that the app "made me feel really dirty when I downloaded it."

"Developers: Stop making apps like this," wrote commenter Steve Streza.

Charlie Kubal agreed. "Can't imagine Facebook being too pleased with this use of FBconnect. Would be surprised if they don't get their access revoked."

U.K. Civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch featured the app on their blog Tuesday. In the post, Deputy director Emma Carr writes that the app is "intrusive" and highlighted the risks of uploading photos and information to the internet.

"When designing an app that searches for 'sexy pics' of your friends or your phones information, it is clear that privacy is at the very back of the designers mind.(sic)"

What's your take? Is Badabing creepy or harmless fun?