Privacy is so valuable that it is one of the reasons users choose specific ecosystems to use. Apple for example advertises their device as the most secure on the market. In China, if you use an Android device purchased from the local market, there is a high possibility that personal data has already been taken without permission.
According to a newly published study by three computer scientists, spyware was found on devices manufactured by Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus and Realme. From the user in the form of phone number, IMEI, MAC address, geolocation data, list of numbers in the phone book and received text metadata was collected before being sent back to the manufacturer.
This is done without permission being sought from the owner of the device or being aware of it. This complete data can be used by manufacturers to see consumer usage habits. In 2021, Chinese authorities enforced a new law that prevented device manufacturers and app developers from collecting personal data of users in China. It is seen as a GDPR-like bill in Europe that empowers users to care about privacy.
At this time the collection of personal data through this spy software is only found on Chinese market devices. There is no evidence this is also done on devices marketed outside of China.