Gadgets
Xiaomi Caught Recording Private User Data And Phone Usage
Privacy in the digital age is becoming more and more of a concern as time goes on, as users are constantly having to worry about who has access to their information and how much of it. Now it has been revealed that a major player in the smartphone manufacturing sphere is crossing a line when it comes to the privacy of their customers.
It has been revealed in a recent report that Xiaomi is recoding private user data and phone usage, and then saving it all on a different server. They are by no means the first company to be caught doing this, but it continues to prove the point that there are many companies out there stepping out of line when it comes to user privacy.
This was discovered by a user who recently purchased the Redmi 8, who found out that much of his activity was being sent to servers hosted by Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Of course, these servers were rented by Xiaomi themselves.
Now, it stands to reason that an average smartphone user would not be able to make this kind of discovery, as the user who did is a cybersecurity researcher. He found that much of what he was doing on the smartphone was being tracked, with the device also tracking and harvesting other data.
An example of this is when using the Xiaomi default browser, which records all the websites that are visited along with all search engine queries. The tracking does not stop even if incognito mode is activated, which certainly brings into question how often this mode fails with other companies, as well.
Xiaomi has gone on record saying that these accusations are completely untrue, but there’s a little too much evidence here to believe them. The issue of user privacy is one that most companies have fumbled, and some big changes need to be made before user trust returns.
Despite Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls 6 was not confirmed as an Xbox exclusive a few months ago. This happened because Xbox executive Phil Spencer indicated that target platforms hadn’t been selected yet, but it always felt like he was talking about the game being years away rather than the RPG being on PlayStation.
If you’re still holding out, Microsoft plans to release The Elder Scrolls 6 just on Xbox and PC. Documents from the company’s FTC lawsuit were recently released. In the document, Bethesda’s announced titles (both as a publisher and developer) are listed, and The Elder Scrolls 6 is listed for Xbox, PC, and nothing else.
We expected this, but The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced before Microsoft acquired its developer. The Elder Scrolls is a beloved franchise that’s been on various platforms for generations, so this isn’t Starfield.
However, the game isn’t due until 2026 at the earliest, according to the paper, and who knows what the gaming landscape will be like then.
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer’s mid-2020 dystopian email suggests the business was interested in buying Warner Bros Interactive and Bethesda. Even more alarming, the CEO calls buying Nintendo a “career moment” and “good for both companies” — and there are even rumors that Microsoft was interested in Valve.
While Spencer warns that acquiring Nintendo would be “hostile action” but “playing the long game”, the unprecedented corporate convergence is shockingly casual. He added: “Nintendo is taking a long time to realize their future is off their hardware. A long time… He even ended the chat with a smiling emoji to make it look more evil.
Spencer claims that Warner Bros Interactive was “gettable” when Microsoft was rumored to acquire it. He adds that “we wouldn’t own any of the IP which hurts long-term flexibility”. Because most Warner Bros Interactive developers work on franchises like Batman, Harry Potter, and others, the studios are worth little without the brands.
The email is over three years old, but it reveals Microsoft’s blasé approach to acquisitions and its goals. While its eventual acquisition of Activision Blizzard may have changed its plans, this leaked exchange suggests that Microsoft will not stop until it has absorbed as much of the industry as possible, even targeting Nintendo.
Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor director Stig Asmussen is leaving Respawn Entertainment for unknown reasons. Asmussen had planned a trilogy for Cal Kestis, but it appears another author will need to write it.
Bloomberg reports that an EA spokesperson said: “Stig Asmussen has left Respawn to pursue other adventures, and we wish him the best. Veteran Respawn leaders will lead Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.”
This move is surprising, but Asmussen leaves on a high note. Jedi: Survivor is a great game despite its performance issues, which is rare for a Star Wars game. We’ll see where Asmussen goes, but we’re excited.
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