Taipei [Taiwan], December 4 (ANI): Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs has raised concerns over increasing Chinese surveillance risks through several widely used apps, officially identifying Douyin, Xiaohongshu (RedNote internationally), Sina Weibo, Weixin, and Baidu Cloud as potential threats to national information security. The ministry urged citizens to remain vigilant and strengthen digital safeguards amid growing cyber influence from China, according to The Taipei Times.
The ministry found that these Chinese-developed apps collect extensive user data, exceed authorisation limits, access biometric information, and share data with external parties. With device storage access, the apps can gather personal details including contact lists, location data, and financial information, which could be exploited without user consent. Officials warned that biometric data could be used to create deepfakes or spread disinformation to manipulate users and deceive acquaintances.
Chinese law requires corporations to provide data to the state upon request, leaving information processed or stored by Chinese firms highly vulnerable to interception by intelligence agencies, posing a significant privacy threat compared with firms outside China.
To address these risks, Taiwan revised the Information and Communication Security Management Act in September, banning public-sector institutions from downloading or using the identified Chinese apps. The amendment also prohibits access to these platforms on official government networks. Cybersecurity Director-General Tsai Fu-lung advised citizens to install only essential apps, regularly review permission settings, and avoid downloading software from unverified sources.
Additionally, the Taiwan Academic Network, which services schools, already restricts access to platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu. The Ministry of Digital Affairs is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to finalise a list of high-risk apps for schools by the end of the month, part of Taiwan’s broader efforts to protect citizens from expanding Chinese digital surveillance, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)
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