January 14, 2025 –Oppo and Realme face backlash for pre-installed apps violating user privacy. Sensitive data was accessed; officials demand accountability.
Oppo and Realme, two major smartphone brands, face a firestorm over a shocking data privacy scandal. Pre-installed apps on their devices have been found accessing users’ personal information, including contact lists and phone numbers, without consent.
The Fineasy loan app, embedded in certain phone models since 2023, is at the center of the controversy. Alarmingly, users cannot uninstall this app, which has been flagged for lacking a license from Thailand’s central bank to operate as a digital loan service.
Pol Col Suraphong Plengkham, a director from the Personal Data Protection Commission said:
This app's invasive data collection is a gross violation of user privacy.
Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has intervened, ordering the suspension of phone sales with the app pre-installed. Oppo and Realme have apologized, stating they are working to remove the app and offering support for users to uninstall it.
However, Pol Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, NBTC commissioner, noted:
The absence of proper oversight of pre-installed apps is a systemic flaw that must be addressed immediately.
Critics argue this scandal underscores the risks of pre-installed software and lax enforcement of data protection laws. While the brands claim no data leakage occurred, the incident has left consumers questioning their digital safety.
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