TOKYO – The Japanese government and all affiliated agencies and departments have put on hold the use of popular messaging app Line following the revelation that personal data of the app’s users has been accessed by technicians in China, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said today, reported Sputnik.
“We will stop using (the app) until all relevant concerns in this regard are eliminated.”
The official specified that employees of the administration of the prime minister and government are prohibited from using the messenger to transmit classified information.
Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Ryota Takeda has ordered local administrations to stop collecting questionnaires and opinions, as well as providing services and receiving all types of applications from the population through this messenger.
Line is one of the most popular messengers in Japan with 86 million users.
Earlier this week, media reported that users’ personal data – including names and surnames, email addresses, phone numbers, as well as content of correspondence and photos – stored on servers in Japan has been available since 2018 to employees of a Chinese outsourcing company, which is entrusted with the app’s system administration.
At least 32 connections are registered to these servers from China. – Bernama, March 19, 2021
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