With TikTok still available in the U.S. and more than a third of the world's electronics manufactured in China, you might have some concerns about your data getting back to China.
There is a difference, however, between products made in China and products made by companies linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
According to tech columnist Kim Komando, there are numerous allegations that the companies mentioned below have CCP ties, but the extent of the Chinese government's actual involvement is debatable.
She shares her recommendations below on what to purchase and use on a daily basis to minimize the risk of feeding your data to China.
Apps Reporting to China
A dominant social media force, video-sharing app TikTok is used by more than 138 million Americans. The app is owned by a company called ByteDance.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has said that TikTok could be used for "influence operations" and that user data is available to the communist Chinese government.
TikTok admitted late last year that it has spied on individual Americans, including journalists, and is undoubtedly a Trojan horse.
The federal government and at least 27 states have banned the use of the app on government devices and Komando recommends installing it on a separate device if you or someone in the family insists on using it. She also recommends using a cellular connection to get online and not connecting the device to your home network.
Chinese-owned apps and platforms like Weibo, WeChat, and Alibaba have also been banned by several states.
Smartphones With the CCP on Speed Dial
For most people, their smartphones are the digital clearinghouses of their lives, keeping tabs on who you call, when you text, where you are and so much more.
This is why the Federal Communications Commission banned sales and imports of Huawei devices in November, citing national security concerns over the Chinese-owned telecommunications company.
Similar accusations have been leveled against Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Oppo.
A recent digital privacy report found that Chinese-made Android phones grant "dangerous privileges" to an "alarming number" of preinstalled apps.
These Might not be the Drones You're Looking for
Having released its first ready-to-fly drone in 2013, DJI, a Shenzhen, China, based company, is arguably the biggest drone retailer.
Popular for pursuits from filmmaking to farming, and everything in between, the U.S. has blocked DJI, banning the company's products from military use and from investment, though you can still purchase their drones in America.
The Department of Defense added the drone company to its list of "Chinese military companies" operating in the United States in October; DJI denies being a military company.
Consider Losing Lenovo
The Commerce Department also has a list aimed at restricting the sale of sensitive goods and technologies to national security threats. In its most recent update, 25 Chinese companies and organizations were added.
Forbes noted in December that Chinese company Lenovo didn't make the Entity List, though it was founded in 1984 and is the brainchild of the Chinese Academy of Sciences – the Chinese-government's preeminent scientific research institution.
Approximately 900 U.S. municipalities and states use Lenovo products, all containing a massive amount of sensitive data.
According to Komando, the military isn't taking any chances. Marines stationed in Iraq in 2008 stopped using Lenovo products after discovering that data was being sent back to China.
If you have a Lenovo machine, Komando recommends replacing it for maximum security.
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