Going viral can be a blessing for some apps, but it led anime-makeover app Meitu to more scrutiny than it may have wanted. Before long, security researchers were taking it to task for dodgy-looking data collecting code.
Upon download, the app asks for a suspicious amount of unneeded permissions, such as access to your location and phone number, as well as the ability to automatically run at startup. That’s just for the Android version — the iOS app also checks to see if your iPhone is jailbroken, as well as what carrier you’re using.
It sounds scary, and it is, but Meitu is finally shedding some light on the issue. The good news? It says it’s not selling your data to anyone, period. The reason the data collection code exists is a little more benign, the company says.
Meitu told CNET in a statement that the data collection code was included because the company is headquartered in China, where tracking services provided by app stores such as the Apple App Store and Google Play are blocked.
“To get around this, Meitu employs a combination of third-party and in-house data tracking systems to make sure the user data tracked is consistent,” said a Meitu spokesperson.
