The Austrian advocacy group Noyb has filed privacy complaints against six Chinese companies, including TikTok, Shein, and Xiaomi, alleging illegal transfer of EU user data to China. According to a Reuters report, Noyb, which stands for “None Of Your Business,” has previously filed similar complaints against major US tech companies like Apple, Google, and Meta, leading to multiple investigations and billions in fines.
Responding to the complaint, a Xiaomi spokesperson for the EU stated, “We are aware of a complaint filed by a non-profit organization with a European data protection authority, and we are reviewing the claims. Protecting user privacy is a core value for Xiaomi, encompassing transparency, accountability, security, and compliance with laws like the GDPR. We ensure user data is stored and processed in line with local regulations in every market we operate in. If a national data protection authority contacts us about this issue, we will fully cooperate to address it.”
What are the demands of Noyb?
According to reports, Noyb has filed six privacy complaints in four European countries, seeking to halt data transfers by several Chinese companies and demanding penalties of up to 4% of each company’s global revenue. The complaints target companies like Alibaba’s AliExpress, Shein, TikTok, and Xiaomi, accusing them of transferring EU user data to China. Additionally, Temu and Tencent’s WeChat are alleged to send data to unidentified third countries, likely China.
Under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data can only be transferred to countries that provide a level of protection equivalent to EU standards. Noyb contends that China, an authoritarian state known for extensive surveillance, does not meet these criteria. Kleanthi Sardeli, a data protection lawyer at Noyb, stated, “China clearly does not provide the same level of data protection as the EU. Transferring Europeans’ personal data is unlawful and must be stopped immediately.”
