The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would like to remind Americans about the potential dangers of using foreign apps, particularly those based out of China.
In a recently released Public Service Announcement (PSA), the FBI warns mobile users about "many of the most downloaded and top-grossing apps in the United States," which are "developed and maintained by foreign companies, particularly those based in China."
As Forbes points out, China's National Intelligence Law requires that China-based companies provide their data to the government.
"All organizations and citizens shall support, assist, and cooperate with national intelligence efforts in accordance with law, and shall protect national intelligence work secrets they are aware of," reads Article 7 of China’s National Intelligence Law.
"National intelligence work institutions lawfully carrying out intelligence efforts may request that relevant organs, organizations, and citizens provide necessary support, assistance, and cooperation," reads Article 14 of the law.
While the FBI did not name any specific apps, a quick look at the top apps in both Apple's App Store and on Google Play suggests that the bureau is likely talking about apps like CapCut and Lemon8 from ByteDance and shopping apps like Temu and Shein.
"The apps that maintain digital infrastructure in China are subject to China's extensive national security laws, enabling the Chinese government to potentially access mobile app users' data," the FBI's warning says.
The FBI's security concerns about foreign apps echo the national security arguments that eventually led to the forced sale of TikTok. To continue operating in the U.S., the federal government required that ByteDance sell a majority of the company to a consortium of U.S. investors, including Oracle. ByeDance, however, still has minority ownership in the company now known as TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC.
Under President Donald Trump, the federal government has taken steps to shore up specific U.S. industries against competitors in China, particularly drones and routers. While the drone ban cited national security concerns, companies like DJI have said these efforts are merely an attempt to stifle competition.
The FBI's PSA warns about the data-collection permissions that users frequently grant to apps. For instance, many apps ask for permission to access users' contacts to invite their friends and family to use the same app. This frequently provides those platforms with names, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, and more. This data can then be stored on a company's servers, which the FBI points out could be located in China. The PSA also states that location, photos, and messages could be compromised.
The FBI also warned users about downloading apps from third-party app stores, which could contain malware. This is mostly an issue for Android users, as Apple requires iPhone and iPad apps to be distributed through the official App Store in the U.S.
Regardless of whether you're an iOS or Android user, the FBI issued advice to protect your data. The FBI recommends that users disable unnecessary data sharing, frequently change passwords, and ensure their devices are up to date with the latest operating system and security updates.
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