Indian Households On China`s Snooping Radar? Survey Reveals Shocking Details

Many Chinese apps related to devices are likely transmitting user data like videos, photos to China for storage and processing leaving Indians vulnerable, a report by online survey firm Localcircles has said.

New Delhi: 79 percent Indian households surveyed have one or more Made in China products (mobile phones, laptops, refrigerators, car parts, LED bulbs, etc.) which could pose risk of spying or surveillance, said a survey report by online survey firm Localcircles has said. 

Breakdown of data reveals that 25 percent of respondents have one or two Made in China gadgets; 21 percent have up to 5 such products; 4 percent have 6-10 such products; 2 percent have over 10 such products; 27 percent indicated they have Chinese products but have not counted how many. However, 21 percent of those surveyed indicated that they have “absolutely no Made in China electronics or electrical products at home”. To sum up, 79 percent Indian households surveyed have one or more Made in China products (mobile phones, laptops, refrigerators, car parts, LED bulbs, etc.) which could pose risk of spying or surveillance, found the survey.

The survey report further said that 37 percent households use apps to track/ view data with the Made in China products they own.

Out of 13,353 responses to this query 37% indicated “yes”; another 37% stated “no” and the remaining 26% were uncertain. In effect, over one third of the respondents have one or more Made in China products that use apps to track/ view data leading to increased risk of spying or surveillance.

For example, a Chinese home surveillance camera installed in an Indian home requires the users to download an app which in most cases is taking home images/videos and storing them to a server in China and when the users wishes to retrieve an event the retrieval happens via this server located in China. Similarly, a Made in China air purifier installed in an Indian home can be started or shut via the app that the user must download. However the data in most cases are stored on a server located in China, Localcircles added.

The survey received over 24,000 responses from household consumers located in 323 districts of India. 64% respondents were men while 36% respondents were women. 43% respondents were from tier 1, 35% from tier 2 and 22% respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts. T