Austrian privacy group files complaints against TikTok, AliExpress, WeChat
What's the story
Austrian privacy advocacy group NOYB has filed data privacy complaints against Chinese companies AliExpress, TikTok, and WeChat. The complaints allege that these companies failed to comply with European Union laws requiring them to provide users with a complete copy of their data. Kleanthi Sardeli, a data protection lawyer at NOYB, said that "TikTok, AliExpress and WeChat love collecting as much data about you as possible but vehemently refuse to give you full access as required by EU law."
Data accessibility
Contrast with other tech firms
NOYB has raised concerns over the difficulty in accessing personal data from some Chinese companies. This is in stark contrast to most tech firms that provide tools for downloading user information. The group has a history of filing complaints against major American companies like Apple, Alphabet, and Meta. These complaints have led to several investigations and billions of dollars in fines against these tech giants.
Company response
Tencent responds to allegations
A spokesperson for Tencent, the owner of WeChat, has responded to the allegations by saying that the company complies with regulations in all markets it operates in. The spokesperson also emphasized Tencent's commitment to protecting user privacy and data security. However, both TikTok and AliExpress have not yet commented on these complaints filed by NOYB, Reuters reports.
Past actions
Earlier complaints against Chinese companies
In January this year, NOYB filed complaints against six Chinese companies. The group also sought to suspend data transfers to China and proposed fines that could be as high as 4% of a company's global revenue. This shows NOYB's aggressive stance on data privacy issues and its willingness to hold companies accountable for their data handling practices.