Xiaomi Phones Allegedly Censoring Anti-China Content, Activating Remote Censorship
The list of terms that could be censored by the Xiaomi smartphone¡¯s system apps, including the default internet browser, as of now includes 449 terms in Chinese and is constantly updated.
Lithuania¡¯s defence ministry has highlighted that Xiaomi¡¯s smartphones have built-in features to detect and censor terms (like Taiwanese independence, freeing Tibet) and activate the censorship remotely.
Reuters
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Reported first by Reuters, the smartphone in question here is Mi¡¯s newest Mi 10T 5G. Even though the censorship capability turned off in the European Union region, could be enabled remotely at any time, revealed the defence ministry¡¯s National Cyber Security Centre. Authorities have now asked the users of Xiaomi phones in the nation to throw them away.
As per the report, the list of terms that could be censored by the Xiaomi smartphone¡¯s system apps, including the default internet browser, as of now includes 449 terms in Chinese and is constantly updated. The National Cyber Centre¡¯s report also highlighted that the Xiaomi phone was sending an encrypted message to a server-based in Singapore.
Surprisingly, another smartphone maker was found to have a security flaw -- Huawei¡¯s p40 5G. The phone¡¯s app gallery directed users to third-party app repositories if one couldn¡¯t find the desired app installed while stating that many of these third-party app stores are also home to malicious apps.
Also Read: Xiaomi Overtakes Apple As Second Largest Smartphone Seller In The World
Reuters
Xiaomi hasn¡¯t really responded to a statement requested by Reuters. This comes at a time when relations between Lithuania and China aren¡¯t the best. China demanded Lithuanian last month to withdraw its ambassador residing in Beijing.
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It also announced that it would recall its envoy to Vilnius after Taiwan announced its mission in Lithuania to be named the Taiwanese Representative Office.
In case you thought this wasn¡¯t a big deal, Taiwan often uses the name of the city Taipei in its missions in Europe and the US, but naming its newest mission on the island¡¯s name -- a territory that China claims its own -- has ruffled some feathers.
What do you think about these surveillance claims on Chinese smartphones? Let us know in the comments section below, and keep reading Indiatimes.com for the latest science and technology news and updates.
