Chinese authorities have for the first time named smart devices violating user data rules, signaling broader oversight beyond mobile apps.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has for the first time publicly named smart-device makers accused of breaching rules on personal-information protection, marking an expansion of regulatory scrutiny beyond traditional mobile apps.
According to the ministry, 20 smart devices were flagged during a recent inspection. The list includes home-security cameras, children’s smartwatches, smart speakers, facial-recognition door locks, educational tablets, and interactive toys.
The violations reportedly involve collecting biometric data without notifying users, transmitting information to cloud servers without consent, failing to provide data-handling rules or access-control mechanisms, and automatically renewing subscriptions without user approval.
Among the products singled out were five models of smart door locks and five smart speakers produced mainly in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. Some of these devices are equipped with large language models, including iFlytek’s Spark system.
MIIT also drew attention to devices aimed at children, including a smartwatch operated under Baidu’s Xiaodu brand, an AI-enabled plush toy, and several smart learning devices.
The manufacturers have been ordered to rectify the issues within a specified timeframe. Those that fail to comply will face administrative penalties, the ministry said.
The expanding scope of scrutiny comes as Chinese consumers increasingly embrace smart devices amid the rapid integration of artificial intelligence technology with the consumer electronics sector.
Take smart door locks as an example. The market recorded 8.97 million units sold across all channels in China in the first half of this year, up 6.8 percent from a year earlier, according to RUNTO Technology, a data analytics platform that tracks trends in the global tech industry.
Source: MLex
