Selfie app maker Meitu says it is careful to protect user privacy, and does not sell user data

Meitu, the Xiamen-based company that makes photo touch-up apps, has refuted claims that its mobile apps collect more user data than is necessary and maintained that the company does not sell user data to third parties.

Last week, media reports surfaced reporting that Hong Kong-listed Meitu’s apps require extensive permissions from its users, including full network access, permission to read data, the smartphone’s identifying IMEI and Mac address information, as well as the ability to change device settings.

Several security researchers speculated that the company was profiting by selling the user data collected to external parties. But the company refuted those claims, insisting that maintaining user privacy was important for Meitu.

In a statement, Meitu said that the iOS versions of its apps conform to Apple’s App Store policies and protects user privacy.

However, as Android app store Google Play, together with its data tracking services are banned in China, Meitu said that it collects user data from its Android apps with its in-house data tracking system via permissions, so that it can accurately track the apps’ performance.