Remember the news when a lot of Chinese apps were banned by the Indian government? Things might not have become better after that either.
“Out of sight, out of mind” this quote has played a good supporting role for many Chinese applications that still exist in a lot of our mobile phones. Even though the Indian government and the governments of multiple countries published a list of banned Chinese apps on their public portals just two years ago, we have seen a huge comeback from China in terms of getting their applications placed in our phones again. The reason? The list got old and people knowing that VPNs exist, still continue to use hazardous applications.
While there is a new list of apps that are suspicious, have low security measures, and secret propaganda hidden in them, one app is making the rounds on the internet quite a lot.
The reason why we are highlighting this app is because it is not just a Chinese app that came into our phones through silent marketing tactics. It’s a Chinese agritech app owned by an already controversial Chinese conglomerate PDD, that has faced scrutiny over its data privacy practices and potential risks as a spyware. Reports have indicated that the app collects vast amounts of user data, including personal information and browsing habits. Such extensive data collection raises concerns about user privacy and the potential misuse of this information.
As a popular platform, Pinduoduo's vast user base makes it an attractive target for data mining and espionage activities. Additionally, given the app's origin in China, where data regulations and government oversight are less stringent compared to other countries, there are worries about the potential for user data to be accessed or shared without users' knowledge or consent.
The Chinese government has a strict rule for indigenous businesses operating in foreign countries that all the data useful for the National benefit shall be handed over to such companies with full autonomy of usage to the government.
The remaining list of apps that are high on the suspicion radar is:
If you have one of these applications in your phone, we advise you to delete them right away and also go check the data breach status of your Email ID at https://haveibeenpwned.com/
With a mixture of literature, cinema, and photography, Manish is mostly traveling. When he is not, he is probably writing another tech news for you!
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