OnePlus backs out of excessive data collection
By Robin-Leigh Chetty 16 October 2017 | Categories: newsIf you recently purchased a OnePlus smartphone sporting the latest version of OxygenOS, there might be something the Chinese manufacturer is not telling you. After software engineer Christopher Moore made the 'discovery' while attempting a hacking challenge on a new OnePlus device, the company has since been forced to step down its data collecting efforts, according to TechCrunch.
Moore was able to delve deeper into the OxygenOS system, finding out that the device was not only sending information to OnePlus every time the phone crashed, which is not that strange, but also when the phone was turned on or powered off. Among all the data being beamed to OnePlus, Moore found that the device's IMEI number, serial number and Wi-Fi network details were being sent.
In response, OnePlus has noted that the steps were designed to improve user experiences moving forward, adding that it takes concerns over data privacy seriously. "By the end of October, all OnePlus phones running OxygenOS will have a prompt in the setup wizard that asks users if they want to join our user experience program. The setup wizard will clearly indicate that the program collects usage analytics," said OnePlus in an official statement.
The company's co-founder Carl Pei also stated that OnePlus never sent any collected data to third parties. That said, TechCrunch has noted that opting out of the data collection does not actually stop analytics from running, but rather that user information will not be tied to a specific device. As such, it certainly does make one think twice before buying a new OnePlus phone.
Most Read Articles
Have Your Say
What new tech or developments are you most anticipating this year?