China's internet regulator named 30 apps, including mini-programs that run inside other apps, for breaking its rules on collecting and using personal data, in a notice on 20 September [1].
The Cyberspace Administration of China said the operators must fix the problems within 15 working days and report back, after which it will check and decide on penalties [1].
What it covers
The regulator sorted the 30 into four failures [1]:
- 6 apps, including Flow Fit, published no rules on how they collect and use personal data;
- 4, including iNAP Care, forced users to grant permissions the apps did not need, or asked for them repeatedly;
- 9, including a field-measuring GPS tool and an ROI calculator, did not fully and accurately list the data they collect;
- 11 offered no working way to delete an account.
The tests were part of a 2026 series of personal-data campaigns announced jointly by the regulator, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security [1].
What it does not tell you
How many apps were tested in total, so how common these failures are. The notice names only those that failed [1].
What the penalties will be. The regulator says it will act "according to law" after checking the fixes [1].
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