Hong Kong Citizens Scrub Data as Apps Face Global Privacy Scrutiny
A new national security law forces Hong Kong residents to delete their digital footprints while major apps like Tim Hortons, Reddit, and LinkedIn face backlash over unauthorized user tracking.
Hong Kong citizens are actively deleting social media posts and entire profiles in response to a new national security law from China. This legislation creates a massive chilling effect because authorities now punish previously protected free expression. People are scrambling to erase their digital histories to avoid legal repercussions under the strict new rules.
Tim Hortons faces a class action lawsuit in Quebec after users discover the coffee chain's app tracks GPS locations even when the application is closed. The app uses this hidden data to determine user home addresses and monitor visits to competitors without proper disclosure in the privacy policy. Privacy commissioners across Canada are launching additional investigations into these deceptive data collection practices.
The new iOS 14 clipboard notifications reveal that LinkedIn and Reddit apps secretly copy and paste user clipboard contents. LinkedIn blames this invasive behavior on a bug and promises a swift fix, while Reddit commits to removing the feature entirely. These discoveries follow a similar scandal involving TikTok and highlight a widespread industry problem with unauthorized app snooping.