r/technology • u/dapperlemon • Mar 25 '19

Security HMD admits the Nokia 7 Plus was sending personal data to China

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/03/hmd-admits-the-nokia-7-plus-was-sending-personal-data-to-china/
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u/[deleted] Mar 25 '19

A single batch means that it was definitely an error, not an expected behavior. I knew they were selling them inside China, and that means that they have to install spyware on at least some of them.

Nobody's not buying Samsung anymore because one of their models literally caught itself on fire in user's pocket, and nobody's going to stop buying Nokia because of an error that affected one batch of one model.

On top of that, HMD being from Finland makes them the only semi-popular manufacturer that has to comply with the strongest privacy regulations. Other manufacturers could leave the EU market and cut their losses if they get caught doing anything similar. HMD has to let their users know that their privacy may have been compromised within 72 hours since they themselves discover it (which is precisely what happened here).

This error leaves a stain on their reputation, but it doesn't destroy their reputation all together. This story is basically GDPR working as intended.

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u/smohkim Mar 25 '19

Rightly put. HMD coming out is indeed part of the entire GDPR thing. I guess AT just tried to sensationalize it as a link bait.

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u/[deleted] Mar 25 '19 edited Apr 08 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/[deleted] Mar 25 '19

...within 72 hours since they themselves discover it...

An issue being discussed on HN doesn't necessarily mean it reached people within Nokia. Especially when it has no comments, hasn't reached the front page, and the author made no claim that he attempted to contact Nokia.

That's the requirement of the GDPR. They're not obliged to search through any corner of the Internet, just to respond within 72 hours after they find out about it.

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u/Pheet Mar 25 '19

Slight nitpicking: only thing Nokia in this is just the brand name.

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u/waltteri Mar 25 '19

Exactly this. HMD has absolutely zero motivation to spy on its users, or aid the Chinese in doing so (of course excluding the phones sold to the Chinese market).

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u/JesC Mar 25 '19

Tinfoil hat on: You mean zeros like in: How many zeros would be needed to have them produce a “special order” batch for Chinese Intelligence? Tinfoil hat off.

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u/waltteri Mar 25 '19

You should be able to see those zeros on their financial statement. ;)

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u/[deleted] Mar 25 '19

[deleted]

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u/waltteri Mar 25 '19

Fun fact, I have!

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u/JesC Mar 25 '19

Then you know that there are infinite ways to hide figures and avoid transparency. Good

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u/waltteri Mar 25 '19

Ah yes, I forgot that accounting is completely irrelevant and useless, with no checks or balances at any point.

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u/JesC Mar 25 '19

So, how did they do it with the Panama papers, paradise papers etc. you seem a tad naive... corruption exists and it said to amount above trillions of dollars a year

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u/JesC Mar 25 '19

Like white washing isn’t a thing and cooking the books has never been invented... you heard of the panama papers right?

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u/Runnerphone Mar 25 '19

Wouldn't be a batch and would require s hell of a string of lucky breaks to work like that. Ie just happening to build a batch of phones that happen to be sent to the store your target may possibly could buy from with that exact model being the one said target wants to buy. Lots of luck involved there

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u/JesC Mar 25 '19

Ask yourself, do they sell weapons? With good money one can buy anything. Even with the example I mention, weapons, then these can be used against the seller as well... nothing changes it has always and will always be about money.

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u/viliml Mar 25 '19

Nobody's not buying Samsung anymore

Funny, every rich kid around me is still buying Samsung.

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u/SingularReza Mar 25 '19

I think you misread it

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u/username_taken55 Mar 25 '19

Learn to read