Microsoft: China Fingers Data Collectors
May 21, 2021
I read “China Says ByteDance, Baidu, and Microsoft Improperly Collected User Data.” The story reports:
China Cyberspace Administration also named American tech giant Microsoft and its two products Bing and LinkedIn in a statement.
Bing and LinkedIn. What about Windows 10, the nifty Office system, and the ever Bob Windows Defender and its file monitoring and remembering capability?
The story pointed out nothing more.
“China’s Internet Watchdog Says ByteDance, TikTok, Microsoft Collected User Data” noted that Kuaishou (a social media platform) was snagged in the monitoring sweep. Apparently about 100 other applications and vendors were identified. This story said:
The authorities reportedly said that the apps violated several laws and had even infringed personal information through illegal access, over-collection and excessive information. The notice, reportedly, was shared to a notice on its WeChat official account. Earlier in April, Chinese regulators had called on 13 online platforms to adhere to stricter regulations in their financial divisions as a push to rein in China’s tech giants.
More information (maybe disinformation) will appear, but it seems as if China wants to send a message to technology companies. Executive changes, financial penalties, and mind games are likely to be fellow travelers for this government move. My take is that China will focus on the senior management of certain firms. High technology companies’ senior managers operate without fear of government action in the US and elsewhere. If China flexes its muscles, those relaxing cruises up the Yangtze River may provides some passengers with unexpected destinations. Fancy Qincheng Prison, anyone?
Stephen E Arnold, May 21, 2021
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