According to some reports, Xiaomi has been collecting browsing data extensively and sending it to servers hosted by Alibaba in Russia and Singapore. The company rents these two servers and got full access to them.
Xiaomi, however, hasn’t accepted that its Android devices do indeed collect data and other information, as well. Such a thing stirred up users’ beliefs as they started to get suspicious. To clear away all the confusion of what happens to all the user data, the manufacturer released a statement recently.
Gabriel Cirlig is a security researcher that released the concerning claim to Forbes. He stated that the Xiaomi smartphone he uses had been tracking usage habits, sending everything to servers hosted by Alibaba in Russia and Singapore.
Xiaomi collects browsing data, but it keeps it private, as the company stated
The frequency, amount, and goal of the browsing data that the Chinese manufacturer collected were even more uncommon. Cirlig also claimed that the other collected data included the folders he opened, the screens users swiped, such as the settings menu and the status bar. Additionally, Xiaomi reportedly collected the music from the default music player.
Xiaomi kept a record of all such things, and of all items, Gabi viewed on the browser’s newsfeed, as well. He used the incognito mode, but the data collection continued. The incident isn’t the only one reported. Another security researcher, Andre Tierney, found similar things in Xiaomi’s Mint Browser and the Mi Browser Pro. Both browsers are free to download and install on Android’s Google Play Store.
Xiaomi has claimed on its official blog post in this regard that it encrypts the browsing data and other information and that its Android devices do collect user data. However, the manufacturer has stated that it takes all necessary and relevant precautions to guarantee user privacy.
