China in renewed crackdown on app developers for overzealous collection of private data
- The apps being tested include fintech product Gome Easecard and smart home app Midea Aircon Controller
China has launched a renewed crackdown on smartphone apps that collect user data illegally and has ordered a number of tech companies, including big names such as Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings, to remove non-compliant apps as soon as possible.
The authorities will also test over 50 apps via third-party organisations and remove them from app stores if they are found to be in violation of data privacy rules, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement on Friday.
Specifically, the apps will be tested to see if the SDK technology they use, a collection of software tools from app developers Beijing Zhaocai Wangwang Technology and Shanghai CraiditX Technology, is open to abuse.
The apps being tested include fintech product Gome Easecard and smart home app Midea Aircon Controller, both of which were accused by the Chinese 315 Gala consumer rights show of being capable of collecting user information, such as personal contact lists and text messages via SDK, without explicit consent from users.
In response to the allegations made on 315 Gala, shown on CCTV on Thursday, CraiditX said in a statement on Friday that it has launched an internal investigation and had discontinued the use of SDK by the end of 2019 due to the potential for misuse.