Actually There’s Not An App For That: Claims Behind Acne-Curing Smartphone Apps Are ‘Baseless’

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Eric Thayer / Reuters

Remember guys, as much as you love your iPhone, it’s not a miracle worker.

Nearly 15,000 people downloaded two apps that promised to treat acne: AcnePwner for Android, which was selling for 99 cents and AcneApp for iPhones, which was selling for $1.99. The Android app claimed that users could “Kill ACNE with this simple, yet powerful tool!” The iPhone app promised that the dermatologist-developed blue and red light treatments it used would clear up acne.

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That means that nearly 15,000 were surely disappointed; since your phone can’t treat your skin, the Federal Trade Commission has intervened to stop the apps from false advertising. According to Politico, this is the first claim the FTC has made against mobile apps making health promises and marketers have agreed to stop touting the apps with “baseless claims”.

“Smartphones make our lives easier in countless ways, but unfortunately when it comes to curing acne, there’s no app for that,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz reminded everyone in a news release.
From now on it’s probably best to get your miracle cures the old-fashioned way–via infomercials.

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