A phone application which tells people how "ugly" they are will be used for bullying, an expert says.
The Ugly Meter enables smartphone users to snap an image of someone's face, which is then judged by the program.
Ratings are given from 0 to 10 - 10 being the ugliest - and include some not-so-nice quips about the person's looks, such as: "When you walk past a bathroom, the toilet flushes."
NetSafe chief executive Martin Cocker said that while the app appeared to be satirical and fun, it would definitely be used by bullies, especially those who did not realise the results were random.
"Any piece of technology can be used and warped into bullying and this piece of technology is ready to go straight out of the box," Mr Cocker said.
The application includes a "Bully Mode" which gives meaner insults and the ability to post "Your Ugly Photos" to Facebook and Twitter.
"That shows that bullying isn't something the developers are too concerned about," Mr Cocker said.
"If a child is particularly concerned about their looks then while this might seem like a bit of fun, it could be quite painful for them to experience," he added
The low cost of the application - $1.29 - meant children could afford to download it on their own accounts without their parents knowing about it, Mr Cocker said.
Created last year, the Ugly Meter has been downloaded more than five million times worldwide, generating more than $US500,000 ($NZ620,000) in revenue.
