Data Breach Concerns for Oppo and Realme Phone Users

[webfact]

File photo: Generic mobile phone mockup

 

Mobile phone giants Oppo and Realme find themselves embroiled in controversy over personal data protection issues due to pre-installed software on their devices. Reports indicate that customer data may have been retained without proper consent, potentially infringing Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act.

 

The trouble centres on the Fineasy app, a loan service application found pre-installed on some devices from both brands. Notably, Fineasy lacks the necessary licence from the Bank of Thailand to offer personal loans digitally, placing it under scrutiny.

 

Unlike typical uninstallable apps, Fineasy persists as a system app, raising alarm over its chilling access to personal user data, including contact lists.

 

In response to mounting concerns sparked by the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has ordered distributors to halt sales of phones with the pre-installed app.

 

A meeting called by the NBTC, involving all related parties including Oppo and Realme importers, sought clarity on the situation, yet crucial answers remain elusive, including the identity of the app's owner.

NBTC acting secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul emphasised that the Fineasy app does not hold status as a licenced loan service. Despite importer claims of no data leakage, the substantial volume of data collected by the app, apparent since early 2023, places Oppo and Realme under significant legal risk.

 

Compounding this, both firms have yet to appoint data controllers in Thailand, a requisite under the personal data laws.

 

Pol Col Suraphong Plengkham of the Personal Data Protection Commission highlighted the severity of potential infractions, but the investigation remains ongoing, with guilt not yet determined.

 

Meanwhile, NBTC commissioner Pol Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn indicated that typical regulatory checks focus on the physical safety of devices rather than installed software, leaving a gap in oversight.

 

To address user concerns, both Oppo and Realme have committed to providing phone users with the means to uninstall the Fineasy app within 30 days, with immediate removal options available through customer service.

 

The unfolding situation has seen both brands issuing apologies and removing loan-related functionalities from the app, proposing enhanced convenience features as a remedy.

 

These developments underline the necessity for comprehensive software oversight on mobile devices, aiming to safeguard user data and maintain consumer trust in the digital age, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-01-14

 

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

What - apps that steal users' personal information, uses it and sells it on?

Surely not 

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

What - apps that steal users' personal information, uses it and sells it on?

Surely not 

Could never happen, especially in America.