Xiaomi is being investigated over data privacy issues in Singapore

Singapore’s personal data watchdog is investigating cellphone maker Xiaomi following a user’s complaint that the company is giving out user data to telephone marketers. The user claims he received marketing calls from overseas after acquiring the phone, according to the Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month, security firm F-Secure looked into a complaint to see if Xiaomi was sending user data to remote servers in China without customer consent. Researchers at F-Secure took a brand new RedMi 1S, set it up, added a contact to their address book, then called and texted that number.

Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission is investigating a complaint against fast-growing Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi. In the complaint, which was registered in July, a user using a Xiaomi device reported receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls from abroad, a commission spokesman told The Wall Street Journal Friday. “The commission is currently investigating the complaint,” the spokesman said, adding that he could not provide details about the user’s identity, specifics of the complaint, or any time frame for concluding the investigation. “We have reached out to Singapore’s PDPC to clarify any issues,” Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s global vice president and an ex-Google executive, told The Wall Street Journal Friday via email, referring to the Personal Data Protection Commission. “We believe it is our top priority to protect user data and privacy and will continue to react swiftly, as we always have, to any feedback from the community on how we can improve our products,” he said. The Commission “will take this seriously,” said Bryan Tan, a Singapore-based partner with law firm Pinsent Masons who specializes in data privacy law.