Chinese Xiaomi phones spy on their users. Lithuania calls for the devices to be scrapped; the Netherlands keeps silent.

41 comments

  1. Ignore the security risks here, which are terrifying. Go with just the customer’s expectations.

    I have no idea how these devices are compliant in the EU, which has remarkably strong consumer protection and privacy laws.

    On one hand, there are privacy mandates that domestic companies must adhere to, and on the other — because so many nations are in hock to the CCP, there’s no corresponding obligations.

    Different rules for different folks is a terrible policy, particularly when it inures to the benefit of a brutalizing regime that sees all meaningful Western data as essential to creating the world’s largest surveillance program.

  2. There are two types of smartphones. The ones that spy on their users and the ones that were not caught doing that.

  7. My mom has a xiaomi phone and she said that she cant be bothered anyways, they can spy all they want.

  11. I don’t think the article specifies how this is being done? I’m LineageOS on my Poco X3. Am I still getting spied on by China or what?

  13. [XDA](https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-secret-blacklist-explained/) had a look and themselves and came to another conclusion, btw.

    It seems to be an ad filter and [in 2019 Xiaomi](https://www.xda-developers.com/xiaomi-remove-obnoxious-ads-miui-add-new-features/) said that they will make sure that users will no longer get vulgar ads after complains

    the German [BSI](https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/gadgets/xiaomi-bundesbehoerde-prueft-handys-auf-schwachstellen-a-819fe78d-e125-4caf-bad5-ac5333bfa2cc) said weeks ago that they will have a look know.

    The Lithuania report has an odd timing. Such investigation takes a long time in state agencies and it got released just right after the political issues between China and Lithuania due to Thailand?

    I will wait until the BSI report but as it stands now, Lithuania’s report seems fishy. Not that Redditors will care.

  21. To be completely honest, living in a world where every single step I made ever since I ditched the feature phone is recorded on Google Maps, having my phone spying on me is the least surprising news possible. I don’t say companies should get away with spying, quite the reverse, but having very limited possibilities of acquiring new gadgets I couldn’t care less if my phone sends my data to one more big “tech company”. First of all I want my phone to be as long lasting as I can afford for my money.

    I mean, everything I search in Google or via Chrome or via other Google products can be tracked down and accessed by US government.

    Everything I see on Internet in general can be tracked down and accessed by whatever Internet provider I use and by government of the country where I am.

    Not to mention Facebook and all it’s apps, Google once again, such companies as VK or Yandex when it comes to Eastern Europe – everyone stores user data and nobody outside the company really knows what do they do with it. Of course, we can assume that big IT tells the truth and they use the data for the research or whatever purpose only, but just as well as refuse to believe any such claims because of impossibility of being sure.

    What’s most important in this situation is timing. Article tells specifically about Xiaomi Note 8, which came out years ago. If there was such a serious violation of privacy and so easily discoverable as well (article basically states that one enthusiastic technician is more than enough), it raises a couple of questions:

    1. Why there wasn’t any sufficient public concern raised back then already? Surely, more than just one person would want to dig into new piece of tech and possibly find such a breach. I have no recollection of this being the topic of public discussion. Huawei – yes, Xiaomi – no.
    2. Why Lithuania is the only country that seems to be concerned about the breach? If their accusations against Xiaomi are true, why wouldn’t EU react accordingly? How could anyone at all let those products enter the EU market in the first place if they violating privacy like that and it literally takes no big efforts at all to prove it?

    Therefore, my believe is that this is either a cheap media propaganda due to heavily polarised relations between the West and China, or an unbelievable scale of neglect from EU. Neither would be surprising, just as my Xiaomi smartphone indeed spying on me.

    And as mentioned above, I would gladly buy any other alternative that would give me the same price/quality ratio for my money. But because there wasn’t one, I knew what I might sign up for at the moment of purchase.

  22. So, I have a question. Is it possible to avoid this data transfer to Xiaomi if you root it and install a different android rom?

    Maybe someone here knows.

    Cause I really can’t afford a better phone xD

  24. “In the United States, the government can also force companies to share data. But this is preceded by a system of checks and balances.”

    Doubt that.
    (From my Xiaomi phone, I am just spreading and decreasing the value of my data.)

    As long as shitty agreements between the EU and USA exist about privacy of EU citizens, and we barely have a leg to stand on fighting our data on US servers, I highly doubt we are worse off with a Chinese phone. But who am I, I am heavily biased.

  27. Hmm who would have thought that? Guess what. Their phones run on Android and the Americans also get all your data.

    I knew why I’ll never buy a Chinese Phone/electronic (internet) device again.

  28. That’s a stupid statement as when you sign in with Google they get to know everything about you. If you are using Apple? Well Apple does too (more if you use iCloud). If you truly want privacy then you should either use something like a de-googled phone or wait and hope Linux phones become more relevant. Otherwise if you don’t care just use whatever you want and always use a password manager (bitwarden) for every site/app you are using

  32. I mean, everyone has to do some due diligence, but in the face of all this technological onslaught, the normal person is simply helpless and overmatched without jumping through hoops or eliminating themselves from regular online society.

    It has to be our governments that protect us from at least the worst excesses spying, and not my choice of freely available gadgets.

  33. all big tech companies are spying on me anyway, at least Xiaomi indirectly pays for my data by giving me a great phone for half the price of competitors

  34. I recently bought an oppo. I’ve used Xiaomi and Huawei in the past I’ve always just assumed they are spying on me when I buy these products. Besides I ain’t got much info that’s worth anything

  35. So Chinese Xiaomi phones do the same as every Android and iOS phone on the market, the only difference is the Xiaomi sends it to the Chinese Central Government, which is probably why the Netherlands aren’t bothering to say anything as they know all phones are spying on their users.

  36. Your daily “Hate Chy-na” news article on r/europe.

    Don’t question it, just swallow.

    ​

    >On his way home, Cirlig had seen an advertisement for the Redmi Note 8, the latest smartphone from the Chinese tech company Xiaomi. He told Follow the Money that he was particularly intrigued by the price-quality ratio: he didn’t trust it. It’s a beautiful, fast phone, with a good camera as well, but the new price is only £150. How can such a good phone cost so little?

  37. I’m American, but it shouldn’t shock anyone, the Western Governments treats China with kids gloves.

  38. Lets be real. Any phone company are spying one way or another on their users. Its just that China is not even shy about it. Additional when the data leaves your phone for the cloud or other stuff its spyied upon again by at least the CIA and most likely a few other companies and organisations.

    Is it shit? Yes! But we cant stop them anyway. Ban all phones made in China, all Servers and programs made in the us and dont buy from “shady” companies and you life under a stone for the rest of your life.

  39. retarded journalists are retarded. Botched news and completely broken distorted messages.

    ​

    It is not Lithuania calls “for devices to be scrapped”.

    It is EU PESCO Cyber Rapid Response Force led by Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.

    [https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage_en/47525/New%20tool%20to%20address%20cyber%20threats:%20the%20EU’s%20Rapid%20Response%20Force](https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage_en/47525/New%20tool%20to%20address%20cyber%20threats:%20the%20EU's%20Rapid%20Response%20Force)

    And chinese phones are not endorsed by the “Dutch” and are not officially sold here.

    It is so called “gray” import. As far as I know it is true in the Baltic countries as well.
    It is allowed because it is not forbidden. Quirks of the democratic society.

  40. Wait, what’s the difference between sending data to the US? Everyone is doing that en masse by using google, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, even reddit.

    The US doesn’t have a great track record with data privacy and spying either. This is highly hypocritical. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not defending China or Xiaomi, but this isn’t out of the ordinary at all.

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