We Don't Store Private Info Or Data Without Permission: Xiaomi
NEW DELHI: Following reports of Xiaomi infringing user privacy by sending their details to a remote server, the Chinese handset maker has clarified that it does not store private information or data without permission. According to a report by security solutions provider F-Secure, Xiaomi phones silently sent out user details to a remote server.
Responding to the allegations, Xiaomi vice president Hugo Barra said protecting user data and privacy is its top priority and it does not "upload or store private information or data without the permission of users". It has also released a software update to tackle the issue.
F-Secure, in its report, demonstrated how a Xiaomi Redmi 1S phone was sending data including the user's IMEI, phone number, and phone numbers of contacts added to the phone book to a remote server.
Xiaomi, on its part, said user data was being transferred to allow users to benefit from Xiaomi's free messaging service, Cloud Messaging. The service, which allows Xiaomi users to send free text messages to each other, is turned on by default for all users and these messages are directed through its own servers.
READ MORE: Is Xiaomi Silently Sending User Data To Remote Servers?
