China: Issued MIIT Notice for apps infringing user rights and interests (9th batch in 2024)

On 13 November 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIT) issued an order listing 27 apps and SDKs that were found to commit user rights violations. The published list includes "Indoor Thermometer", "Five Tone Assistant", "Personal Tax Settlement Check", "Magic Voice Changer", "Renren Sales Champion", "Customer-Based Telemarketing", "See the World", "Outdoor Ring Main Unit" and "Daily Alarm Clock". The government instructed a third party to conduct an investigation on the listed apps and SDKs. The 27 apps and SDKs were found to breach the Personal Information Protection Law, the Network Security Law, the Telecommunications Regulations and the Regulations on the Protection of Personal Information of Telecommunications and Internet Users. The violations include illegal and excessive collection of personal information and misleading redirections to other windows. The MIT ordered these apps to rectify their practices according to the regulation. Failure to comply will result in further legal action.