It is also alleged that Chinese companies AliExpress, Temu and WeChat transfer data to third countries, possibly including China.
TikTok, Shein, Xiaomi, and three other Chinese companies (AliExpress, Temu, WeChat) are named in a privacy complaint filed on Thursday by Austrian NGO Noyb, Reuters reported. The complaint alleges that the companies are illegally sending European Union user data to China.
The NGO Noyb is known for filing complaints against American companies such as Apple, Alphabet, and Meta, which led to several investigations and billions of dollars in fines.
Vienna-based Noyb (None Of Your Business) said it was the first to file a complaint against the Chinese companies.
Noyb has filed complaints from six European countries, including Greece, Italy, and Austria, aiming to suspend the illegal transfer of personal data to China and requesting fines that can reach up to 4% of a company’s global revenue.
Noyb said Alibaba’s e-commerce site AliExpress, e-commerce platform Shein, TikTok, and mobile phone maker Xiaomi admit to sending Europeans’ personal data to China, citing transparency reports and other documents. Retailer Temu and Tencent’s WeChat app transfer data to unspecified third countries, likely China.
China’s Foreign Ministry said the Chinese government “has never and will never” businesses or individuals to collect or provide information on the personal data of citizens located in foreign countries in a way that violates the country’s laws.
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