Realme: Here’s what Realme has to say on personal user data collection concerns – Times of India

Realme was recently accused of collecting sensitive user data such as call logs, SMS, and location information via the “Enhanced Intelligent Services” feature, which is automatically enabled on the phone’s setup. The company has now responded to data privacy concerns.
In a statement shared with The Times of India-Gadgets Now, Realme said that the mentioned feature is linked to optimising device usage and it does not collect any data on “SMS, phone calls, schedules, etc.”

Here’s what Realme has to say:

Realme attaches great importance to the privacy and security of our consumers and we are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of data security.Specific to the issue raised, we would like to clarify that the enhanced intelligent services feature is linked to optimising device usage to ensure that consumers get better battery life and temperature performance. However, contrary to the current description, we do not collect any data on SMS, phone calls, schedules, etc.
All data processed in this service is encrypted and stored in encrypted hardware within [the] user’s device strictly in compliance with Android security mechanisms. This data is completely stored within the device and is not shared anywhere else or uploaded on the cloud. We place great emphasis on user privacy protection, the enhanced intelligent services feature can be manually turned on or off basis the needs of the consumers.
Realme will continue to bring leap-forward product experience while respecting the privacy of users. The company complies with the local laws and regulations. We hope this addresses the concerns of all concerned.
What is the issue?
Last week, the company came under government scanner due to concerns about user privacy. The Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, said that the government will probe the matter.
We at Times of India-Gadgets Now also verified that on Realme smartphones that the “Enhanced Intelligent Services” feature is enabled by default. However, users have the option to disable it if they do not wish to share their data.

Not the only one
TOI-Gadgets Now team also found that the feature is also present on other Android smartphones from OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo and iQoo – owned by BBK Electronics. A similar feature, “Send Diagnostics Data,” was also found on Samsung smartphones, which is also turned on by default.
How to turn off the feature
In order to turn off the feature, users can head over to “System services,” and tap the toggle next to “Enhanced Intelligent Services.”