Xiaomi: Difference between revisions - Consumer_Action

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Most of the aforementioned apps can be substituted for FOSS alternatives, but they cannot be uninstalled without advanced methods such as ADB.

=== Sending user's browsing history to China ===

===Sending user's browsing history to China===

In 2020, it was revealed that Xiaomi phones send vast amount of data to Xiaomi, including browsing history, folders opened and many other things users do on their phones. Xiaomi insists that privacy is not affected, but none of their statements really contradict the allegations of vast data collection.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iyer |first=Kavita |date=2020-05-02 |title=Xiaomi Refutes Claims Of Secretly Sending Its User Data To China |url=https://www.techworm.net/2020/05/xiaomi-secretly-sending-user-data-china.html |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Techworm}}</ref>

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The only way to mitigate this is to use a custom ROM such as [https://www.e.foundation /e/] or [https://www.lineageos.org LineageOS]. Users who do not have the technical skill to do this should use an app like [https://f-droid.org/packages/net.kollnig.missioncontrol.fdroid/ Tracker Control] from the F-Droid store to limit connections and use an alternate browser such as Firefox (Google Play Store) or [https://f-droid.org/de/packages/org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid/ Fennec] (F-Droid store). Built-in applications should be avoided as much as possible.

=== Links to the Chinese government ===

===Links to the Chinese government===

As a Chinese company, Xiaomi is under direct control of the Chinese government ~~and the Communist Party~~. China is an autocratic dictatorship and a surveillance state, which users should take into consideration when using internet ~~connetced~~ software and hardware products from the region. The company cannot deny requests from the Chinese state for user data and must collaborate unconditionally in state espionage cases. This law also applies extraterritorially and thus user data worldwide is affected.

As a Chinese company, Xiaomi is under direct control of the Chinese government. China is an autocratic dictatorship and a surveillance state, which users should take into consideration when using internet connected software and hardware products from the region. The company cannot deny requests from the Chinese state for user data and must collaborate unconditionally in state espionage cases. This law also applies extraterritorially and thus user data worldwide is affected.

Some phone models display a cartoon of a Mitu, the Xiaomi mascot bunny performing maintainance on the iconic Android logo robot when booted into fastboot mode by holding down the corresponding button combination, which differs between phone models. This mascot is wearing an olive green fur hat that is part of the communist pioneer ~~unifor~~ and bears the characteristic red star on its front ~~(which, incidentally, the North Korean Linux distribution [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS Red Star OS] also owes its name to)~~, emphasising the patriotic stance of the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravichandran |first=Sudarshan |date=2021-11-25 |title=Xiaomi removes Mi Bunny from MIUI fastboot screen |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/11/25/xiaomi-removes-mi-bunny-from-miui-fastboot-screen/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Gizmochina}}</ref>

Some phone models display a cartoon of Mitu, the Xiaomi mascot bunny performing maintainance on the iconic Android logo robot when booted into fastboot mode by holding down the corresponding button combination, which differs between phone models. This mascot is wearing an olive green fur hat that is part of the communist pioneer uniform and bears the characteristic red star on its front, emphasising the patriotic stance of the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravichandran |first=Sudarshan |date=2021-11-25 |title=Xiaomi removes Mi Bunny from MIUI fastboot screen |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/11/25/xiaomi-removes-mi-bunny-from-miui-fastboot-screen/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Gizmochina}}</ref>

==References==

[[Category:Xiaomi]]

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 Most of the aforementioned apps can be substituted for FOSS alternatives, but they cannot be uninstalled without advanced methods such as ADB.
-=== Sending user's browsing history to China ===
+===Sending user's browsing history to China===
 In 2020, it was revealed that Xiaomi phones send vast amount of data to Xiaomi, including browsing history, folders opened and many other things users do on their phones. Xiaomi insists that privacy is not affected, but none of their statements really contradict the allegations of vast data collection.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iyer |first=Kavita |date=2020-05-02 |title=Xiaomi Refutes Claims Of Secretly Sending Its User Data To China |url=https://www.techworm.net/2020/05/xiaomi-secretly-sending-user-data-china.html |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Techworm}}</ref>
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 The only way to mitigate this is to use a custom ROM such as [https://www.e.foundation /e/] or [https://www.lineageos.org LineageOS]. Users who do not have the technical skill to do this should use an app like [https://f-droid.org/packages/net.kollnig.missioncontrol.fdroid/ Tracker Control] from the F-Droid store to limit connections and use an alternate browser such as Firefox (Google Play Store) or [https://f-droid.org/de/packages/org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid/ Fennec] (F-Droid store). Built-in applications should be avoided as much as possible.
-=== Links to the Chinese government ===
+===Links to the Chinese government===
-As a Chinese company, Xiaomi is under direct control of the Chinese government and the Communist Party. China is an autocratic dictatorship and a surveillance state, which users should take into consideration when using internet connetced software and hardware products from the region. The company cannot deny requests from the Chinese state for user data and must collaborate unconditionally in state espionage cases. This law also applies extraterritorially and thus user data worldwide is affected.
+As a Chinese company, Xiaomi is under direct control of the Chinese government. China is an autocratic dictatorship and a surveillance state, which users should take into consideration when using internet connected software and hardware products from the region. The company cannot deny requests from the Chinese state for user data and must collaborate unconditionally in state espionage cases. This law also applies extraterritorially and thus user data worldwide is affected.
-Some phone models display a cartoon of a Mitu, the Xiaomi mascot bunny performing maintainance on the iconic Android logo robot when booted into fastboot mode by holding down the corresponding button combination, which differs between phone models. This mascot is wearing an olive green fur hat that is part of the communist pioneer unifor and bears the characteristic red star on its front (which, incidentally, the North Korean Linux distribution [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS Red Star OS] also owes its name to), emphasising the patriotic stance of the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravichandran |first=Sudarshan |date=2021-11-25 |title=Xiaomi removes Mi Bunny from MIUI fastboot screen |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/11/25/xiaomi-removes-mi-bunny-from-miui-fastboot-screen/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Gizmochina}}</ref>
+Some phone models display a cartoon of Mitu, the Xiaomi mascot bunny performing maintainance on the iconic Android logo robot when booted into fastboot mode by holding down the corresponding button combination, which differs between phone models. This mascot is wearing an olive green fur hat that is part of the communist pioneer uniform and bears the characteristic red star on its front, emphasising the patriotic stance of the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravichandran |first=Sudarshan |date=2021-11-25 |title=Xiaomi removes Mi Bunny from MIUI fastboot screen |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2021/11/25/xiaomi-removes-mi-bunny-from-miui-fastboot-screen/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Gizmochina}}</ref>
 ==References==
 <references />
 [[Category:Xiaomi]]