US Legislators Charge OnePlus Devices with Gathering Sensitive Personal Data
**They Aim to Investigate the Chinese OEM Regarding “Security Issues”**
**Key Information**
– A report indicates that two U.S. lawmakers have requested that the U.S. Commerce Department examine the Chinese OEM OnePlus due to “security issues.”
– The lawmakers have allegedly referenced evidence that “suggests” OnePlus devices are gathering possible “sensitive personal information” and transmitting it to servers located in China.
– The U.S. has faced challenges with firms like Huawei in 2020 and more recently with TikTok regarding similar matters.
On Friday night (June 27), it was reported that two U.S. lawmakers have shown interest in investigating the Chinese OEM OnePlus due to these concerns.
The report, shared by Reuters, claims to have uncovered a letter from the two U.S. lawmakers who wish to explore OnePlus over “security issues.” The lawmakers, Representative John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi, have supposedly urged the U.S. Commerce Department to investigate OnePlus after accusing the devices of collecting user data “without clear user consent.”
The two Representatives assert that this inquiry would “establish” the types of information gathered by OnePlus devices, which may include “transfers of sensitive personal information and screenshots.”
According to these lawmakers, their interest in this investigation stems from an “analysis” conducted by a commercial entity. Reports suggest that the findings “indicate” possible unauthorized data collection by OnePlus devices, which is subsequently sent to servers owned by China.
Reuters informs that the U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond regarding this possible investigation. Android Central reached out to OnePlus for comment about this prospective probe by the U.S. Commerce Department but did not receive a response by the time of publication. This article will be updated upon receiving a reply.
**Is There Cause for Alarm?**
The U.S. government encountered another well-known Chinese brand back in 2020. Huawei faced scrutiny after the DOJ (Department of Justice) charged the OEM with racketeering and “stealing trade secrets.” This transpired during President Trump’s first term, which provided the company a 45-day ban extension, but this only applied to companies operating in the United States.
In a statement, the Commerce Department clarified that the extension on the Temporary General License aimed to avoid any “disruption” of network communication systems for individuals in rural areas. Huawei sought to contest its U.S. ban, labeling it “unconstitutional;” however, a judge quickly dismissed the lawsuit.
Conversely, hearing “security issues” brings to mind another ongoing situation in the U.S.: TikTok. In 2022, the ByteDance-owned app faced backlash over concerns that it was collecting U.S. user data, which was allegedly accessed in China. At that time, U.S. Federal Communications commissioner, Brendan Carr, claimed, “it harvests swaths of sensitive data that new reports show is being accessed in Beijing.”
We have since experienced a TikTok ban—and its subsequent return—and continue to navigate this issue today, as Trump granted the app a 75-day extension back in April. While the Trump Administration has shown interest in retaining the app, it seeks to do so in a manner that ByteDance finds unacceptable. The company has expressed a preference to forfeit its U.S.-based audience entirely rather than sell it.
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