According to The Central News Agency (CNA), Taiwan’s National Security Bureau has flagged five Chinese apps — Xiaohongshu, Weibo, TikTok, WeChat and Baidu Netdisk, for serious security risks including excessive data collection and permission abuse. Xiaohongshu violated all 15 security test indicators.
Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang stated that these apps pose a significant threat to national security, and has ordered all Interior Ministry staff and affiliated agencies to delete them immediately.
According to the Ministry’s Information Services Director Huang Kuo-yu, the apps may track users’ locations, access contact lists, and collect facial data, even when not actively in use. Residual code may remain after deletion, and users are advised to consult device manufacturers to fully remove any embedded risk.
