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Xiaomi browser update lets users turn off data collection in incognito mode
The Chinese smartphone brand previously said there was nothing unusual about its anonymous data collection practices
This article originally appeared on ABACUS
When Xiaomi faced criticism over excessive data collection practices in its default Android web browser, the company said there was nothing abnormal about its practices. But now the company seems to be retreating slightly from this stance. An update on Monday addresses one of the main concerns about its browser by letting users toggle data collection in incognito mode.
Xiaomi said in a statement that it's released updates for all three of its browsers on Google Play. Users of Mi Browser, Mi Browser Pro and Mint Browser can now “switch on/off the aggregated data collection” in incognito mode, the company said. Incognito mode is typically meant to be more privacy-focused by erasing history and cookies after each session.
When the controversial Mi Browser behavior came to light last week, Xiaomi said its “collection of anonymous browsing data” was normal and didn’t violate user privacy. The Chinese smartphone company was responding to research that showed the company's browsers were sending information on websites visited and search queries, even when users were in incognito mode or using privacy-focused sites like DuckDuckGo. At the time, Xiaomi said researchers misunderstood its data privacy principles, but it didn’t elaborate further.
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