German study: “Xiaomi phones have no censorship function”
Researchers from the German cybersecurity watchdog BSI could not find a censorship function in the software of Xiaomi phones. Also, no abnormal code has been discovered in MIUI that requires further investigation or action.
Xiaomi research
In September last year, cybersecurity researchers from the Lithuanian Defense Ministry came up with a remarkable recommendation. They advised users of Xiaomi smartphones to stop using the devices as censorship software was discovered.
According to them, it was a filter that can hide content in Xiaomi’s pre-installed apps, including the browser. If Xiaomi activated that filter, you could no longer search for information about Taiwanese independence, Tibet and other sensitive topics in China.
Xiaomi immediately denied the allegations last year and the findings of the Lithuanian experts were verified by a third party. From September 2021, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has launched an investigation, the results of which are now known, Reuters reports. No censorship filter has been discovered in MIUI and the Germans did not find any other curious matters that require further investigation.
‘Safety top priority’
A Xiaomi spokesperson is pleased with the findings of the German researchers, according to a statement:
“Xiaomi is pleased that the published results of the survey by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) confirm our commitment to operate transparently and responsibly, with the privacy and security of our customers as the top priority. The survey has shown that we comply with all EU and national data protection and security laws, as well as all applicable EU standards for devices.We welcome the exchanges with users, regulators and other stakeholders such as the BSI, as we are committed to constant improvement and innovation.”
Accusations without evidence
Xiaomi was able to work its way up to one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the past year. According to figures from CounterPoint Research, the Chinese brand was the number two in Europe in the third quarter of 2021.
Despite the positive news from Germany, the brand has not yet shaken off the doubts in all countries, because in August 2021 the Belgian government still advised consumers to stop using smartphones from Chinese brands. They mentioned the threat of espionage from the Chinese government as a possible risk. At the same time, the Belgian state security also admitted that it does not have the resources to thoroughly analyze smartphones in order to detect possible threats.
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