The internet is full of articles that detail apps you should never install on your smartphone, and we’ve contributed our fair share. We have expressed how apps such as Facebook and Waze slow down your phone, while apps like YouTube and TikTok can eat up data plans. But when the FBI tells you that an app can steal your data for a foreign government, it’s usually worth paying attention.
On March 31, the FBI released a PSA to “highlight data security risks associated with foreign-developed mobile applications (apps) frequently used in the United States”. However, the announcement doesn’t actually say which apps to avoid. Instead, it provides a blanket warning about popular apps that are “developed and maintained by foreign companies, particularly those based in China.”
According to the FBI, these apps are “subject to China’s extensive national security laws,” which allegedly let the Chinese government access your user data. Because the warning is so vague, it can apply to just about any Chinese app with even a modicum of popularity overseas, from “Genshin Impact” to Temu. (Although, since Temu isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau, you might want to consider removing that app and deleting your account, anyway.)
What the FBI thinks you should look out for
As this PSA revolves around data security and associated risks, the FBI has outlined several warning signs. Some are obvious, such as not downloading apps from “unfamiliar websites,” as they might contain malware. This is how the Albiriox virus spread and infected Android accounts, after all.
However, the PSA mentioned many other warning signs. One of the biggest red flags, according to the FBI, was the “option to invite friends or contacts to use the apps.” The FBI claims many “default permissions” give developers a treasure trove of information, ranging from names and email addresses to the physical addresses and phone numbers of stored contacts. The latter are admittedly the more compromising since they can give the company information on people who don’t even use their apps. The degree of damage this information can cause also depends on where it is stored. According to the FBI, the data can either be stowed away locally or “on servers in China for as long as the developers deem necessary.” You can usually find where your data is being stored in the app’s privacy policy.
The FBI also provides some tips on how to better protect your data. These include some obvious solutions, such as only downloading verified apps and regularly changing passwords. However, some might be less obvious, such as disabling “unnecessary data sharing” and reading the terms of service (TOS). Then again, you can allegedly find malicious clauses hidden inside the TOS of streaming platforms, so that final suggestion is probably a good idea regardless of the programs you use.
Is there any merit to the PSA?
Under normal circumstances, a warning from the FBI should be heeded with little question. Knowing who or what is a threat is literally in their job description. And, to be fair, many of the warnings the PSA provides are worth following. Not sharing more data than needed and not downloading apps from questionable websites are the pillars of protecting your devices and personal information. However, singling out China reeks of the long-running and oft-criticized “China threat theory.”
This theory, which originates from the country’s booming economic growth, claims that China poses a threat to democracy, peace, and foreign governments. However, there is no hard evidence behind it; it is generally regarded as a perceived threat. That is not the same as saying China and its government are harmless, though. Organizations such as Amnesty.org have reported countless violations of human rights within the country.
Since the FBI has a page dedicated to “the China Threat,” this PSA comes across more like a vendetta than an actual warning, despite containing some good and actionable advice. Yes, phone apps can be used to steal data, but there doesn’t seem to be much basis for an announcement intended to make users wary of all apps from a specific country.
