I downloaded 8 Chinese apps. Together they asked for 47 permissions. I said yes to all of them.
My friend from Finland is a privacy lawyer. She came to China and downloaded the basic apps: WeChat, Alipay, Didi, Meituan, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Baidu Maps, and Taobao.Then she counted the permissions they requested.
The total: 47 permissions across 8 apps.
Here's the breakdown:
WeChat: Camera, microphone, location, contacts, photos, storage, Bluetooth, phone status, calendar, body sensors...
Alipay: All of the above + face recognition data, fingerprint, NFC
Didi: Location (always), camera, microphone, contacts, storage
Meituan: Location, camera, microphone, contacts, storage, phone status
Douyin: Camera, microphone, location, photos, storage, contacts, phone status
Xiaohongshu: Camera, photos, location, microphone, storage, contacts
Baidu Maps: Location (always), camera, microphone, storage, phone status
Taobao: Camera, microphone, location, photos, storage, contacts, phone status, calendar
My friend, the privacy lawyer, stared at her phone in horror.
Then she clicked "Allow" on all of them.
Why? Because there's no real alternative.
If you deny location to Didi, you can't book a ride.
If you deny camera to WeChat, you can't scan QR codes to pay.
If you deny contacts to Meituan, you can't share orders with friends.
If you deny storage to Alipay, you can't save receipts.
The apps don't degrade gracefully. They just... stop working.
The 2026 privacy update:
China's CAC (Cyberspace Administration) published a new draft regulation in January 2026. Key changes:
• Apps can only request permissions when actively needed (not at launch)
• Background location tracking is heavily restricted
• Biometric data (face, fingerprint) requires specific justification and must be stored locally when possible
• Apps must provide account cancellation within 15 working days
• Minors under 14 require parental consent for data collection
But: These are draft regulations. Enforcement is... developing.
What I actually do:
• Use a separate phone for China apps (if you have one)
• Create a secondary WeChat account for daily use
• Review app permissions monthly in phone settings
• Never store sensitive photos/documents on a phone with Chinese apps
• Accept that some level of data sharing is unavoidable if you want to function in China
My privacy lawyer friend's take: "In Europe, I'd report these apps to the regulator. In China, I just want to order dumplings without the app crashing. I've compromised every principle I have. And the dumplings were worth it."
Anyone else uncomfortable with the permission requests? Or am I just paranoid?
Page:
[1]