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.

  • stephen01king@lemmy.zip
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    19 hours ago

    That is until they have enough data to be able to sabotage a major part of your country’s infrastructure and use it as a bargaining chip to exploit your country, then it won’t be less damage. Its just theoretical, but we know that’s one of the reason any country collect data from another country’s citizens.

    Just weigh the risks every time instead of defaulting to a position of China all the time.

    • Bandido@feddit.org
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      9 hours ago

      China hasn’t revealed itself to be Cthulhu, unlike the US or Russia. So for me yes, it’s China at every turn unless a local option exists.

      • stephen01king@lemmy.zip
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        17 hours ago

        My problem is his general conclusion to always prefer China. Making predetermined decision without considering the situation you’re in is kinda stupid.