on its phones should make companies think twice about their data policies and consider blocking the app on its own devices, academics say.
Companies may need to be especially wary of the app if their employees deal with intellectual property, patents and trade secrets, which could potentially fall into Chinese hands, he warned.“But it’s not just strictly a Chinese phenomenon,” he said.“The U.S. government has had similar provisions as well, and there’s plenty of U.S. digital intermediary platforms that have transferred data back to the U.S. government, allegedly for national security reasons.
“I don’t want to say a blanket statement but I think the government’s ban should serve as a reminder to companies to review their security and privacy practices writ large,” he said.