this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2025
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Do you trust Xi with your 'private' browsing data? Apple and Google app stores still offer China-based VPNs. (www.techtransparencyproject.org)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by Pro@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world
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The Apple and Google app stores continue to offer private browsing apps that are surreptitiously owned by Chinese companies, more than six weeks after they were identified in a Tech Transparency Project report. Apple and Google may also be profiting from these apps, which put Americans’ privacy and U.S. national security at risk, TTP found.

The apps are virtual private networks (VPNs), which promise to mask a user’s identity as they browse the internet. But Chinese-owned VPNs raise serious privacy and security concerns for Americans because Chinese companies can be forced to share user data with the Chinese government under the country’s national security laws. VPNs have access to particularly sensitive user data since they see all of a person’s web activity.

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[–] percent@infosec.pub -4 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (3 children)

Just curious: Why would you prefer your data to be harvested in China vs. the US?

Edit: I'm also genuinely curious about why this question is getting downvoted. Is it offensive or something? I meant no harm to anyone.

[–] eskimofry@lemmy.world 7 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

thats not what they said did they? they said they are more concerned about American companies harvesting their data as they live in Europe and don't have as much affinity to China.

[–] percent@infosec.pub 1 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

thats not what they said did they?

Is it not? They said they're "more concerned" with American companies harvesting data. Doesn't that mean that, given the choice between the US and China harvesting their data, they'd choose China because it concerns them less? Did I misunderstand it?

they said they are more concerned about American companies harvesting their data as they live in Europe and don’t have as much affinity to China.

Actually, they didn't say this part:

and don’t have as much affinity to China.

They answered my question with a more specific explanation though, and now I understand. In their position, I'd probably choose China too.

[–] eskimofry@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago

Sure yeah I could be wrong. If America scares them more than China it's a major turning point because they are European.

What I initially got from their comment: They are more concerned about actually real threats in their life like Google, Meta, or Apple which are American and are probably what they are using at work and outside of work given they live in Europe. They are less concerned about china because they don't use chinese phones daily or hangout in weChat (I hope).

Where I can of course be wrong about this: They are actually using Tiktok and don't care about the possible spying. They could be using chinese tech and simply not know. main concern is if they are on some tech stack at work or their ISP has equipment from chinese companies known to phone home.

[–] Amnesigenic@lemmy.ml 5 points 10 hours ago

Because the US is worse in every quantifiable way

[–] febra@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Because China doesn't have as much influence in Europe as the US does. Besides that, there's a higher chance of US companies sharing data with European governments than Chinese companies doing so.

[–] percent@infosec.pub 1 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

Ah, thanks for the explanation. That totally makes sense. If forced to choose a foreign entity to harvest my data, I'd prefer the one least likely to share my data with my government too.