The true horror depicted in George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, is that wherever you go, “Big Brother is Watching You,” even in the former privacy of your own home. Today, Orwell’s nightmare has become a reality. The difference is that the eyes now prying into our kitchens, living rooms, and even bedrooms may not even be those of our own government – but those of a potentially hostile foreign power.
Research conducted by Which, the consumer watchdog magazine, has confirmed something the smartphone industry has known for years: Chinese electronic products are routinely used to spy on citizens in countries like the US and the UK.
The latest suspects, domestic air fryers, join a long list of products the Chinese are accused of having used to spy on the West, which already ranges from smart watches to automobiles. Which analyzed three air fryers sold in the UK and found that Aigostar, Xiaomi Mi Smart, and Cosori CAF-LI401S knew their customers’ precise locations and demanded permission to listen in on users’ conversations. The Aigostar air fryer even wanted to know the user’s gender and date of birth when setting up an account. Disturbingly, both the Aigostar and Xiaomi air fryers are reported to have sent personal data to servers in China.
“Our research shows how smart tech manufacturers and the firms they work with are currently able to collect data from consumers, seemingly with reckless abandon, and this is often done with little or no transparency,’” said Harry Rose, Which magazine editor.
In March of this year, then-US President Joe Biden also issued a stark warning to the US public regarding Chinese-made automobiles on sale in the US.
“Most cars these days are ‘connected’ – they are like smartphones on wheels…China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch,” said the President.
Chinese smartphones spy on Western customers
As long as three years ago, independent researchers highlighted the dangers of Chinese smartphones being used to spy on Western citizens by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). 5G phones made by Chinese manufacturers Huawei, Xiaomi, and OnePlus were found to pose a serious threat to personal privacy, with privileged data regularly being sent to China via servers in Singapore.
There also fears among observers in the intelligence services that the CCP may not merely be assembling large volumes of largely anonymous user data on Western users, but also pinpointing specific individuals and locations they wish to spy on in order to manipulate. Such intelligence can then be used for blackmail, espionage and other forms of coercion in the case of targeted individuals. This strategy is further evidenced by the kind of personal and localized information now routinely requested of Western consumers by Chinese electronic goods makers.
UK-based Which magazine is now pushing for detailed legislation aimed at protecting consumers from the more sinister designs of overseas electronics manufacturers.
“Which? has been calling for proper guidelines outlining what is expected of smart product manufacturers, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has confirmed a code is being introduced in Spring 2025 – this must be backed by effective enforcement, including against companies that operate abroad, “ said Harry Rose.
