Security News > 2021 > March > LINE stops data flowing to China after Japanese officials ditch app over privacy concerns

Messaging app LINE has removed Chinese affiliate's access to personal data, after infosec concerns led Japanese government officials to stop using the app.

Government officials began to rethink using the app following reports of foreign access to in-country equipment.

Four engineers performing system maintenance in China had access to LINE's Japanese servers containing personal data.

LINE has also promised better transparency and stronger data governance.

This includes privacy policies that actually state the nations in which user data might be stored, a special committee to conduct verification of data security, achieving Cross-Border Privacy Rules certification and ticking off US National Institute of Standards and Technology security compliance checklists.

Despite having exposed user data, the app seems not to have suffered.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/03/24/line_blocks_china_server_access/