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Microsoft’s Office apps called out by Beijing in latest crackdown on user data privacy violations

  • Software giant Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint were among the 291 apps called out by the MIIT on Tuesday for violating user data privacy
  • The latest action comes after the MIIT’s new regulations on necessary personal information for mobile apps came into effect on May 1

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Software giant Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint were among the apps cited by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for making mandatory, frequent or excessive requests for user permissions. Photo: Reuters
Iris Deng
China has called out 291 smartphone apps, including those under Microsoft’s popular Office suite, for misleading or infringing on user privacy, as regulatory authorities intensified the crackdown on how tech companies collect data.

Software giant Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint were among the apps that made mandatory, frequent or excessive requests for user permissions, according to a notice posted on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) website on Tuesday.

The MIIT also found recruitment app 51Job, tech news app 36Kr and note-taking app Yinxiang Biji, the Chinese version of Evernote, to have violated existing regulations in the collection of user data. Another recruitment app, Zhaopin, was cited for misleading users to download applications.

The ministry has asked third-party testing organisations to review mobile apps that have been the focus of user complaints, according to a statement on its website. It said 83 apps – from the targeted categories of productivity, education, mobility, job recruitment and fitness – failed to rectify their violations.

Microsoft Office is seen at the top of a smartphone user’s list of apps. Photo: Ben Sin
Microsoft Office is seen at the top of a smartphone user’s list of apps. Photo: Ben Sin

Six provincial communications administrations, including those in Shanghai as well as Guangdong and Sichuan provinces, carried out similar tests and found 208 apps in violation, according to the MIIT.

Apart from banking and airline apps, Lilith Games’ Rise of Kingdoms and Furious Wings from Yoozoo Games were also cited by the MIIT for violating data collection rules. The ministry said these apps were ordered to rectify their violations by June 16, and those who failed to meet the deadline will face further actions.
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