Take user privacy seriously, don't collect data without consent: Xiaomi

Chinese smartphone major Xiaomi on Saturday said it takes user privacy "extremely seriously" and its browser does not collect any data that the user has not explicitly given consent to.

The clarification came after reports that its Mi Browser collects unnecessary information while browsing and sends the user data to other countries.

"This is incorrect and not true ... as an internet company, Xiaomi takes user privacy extremely seriously. Mi Browser follows similar protocols as any other leading browser in the world," Xiaomi India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain said.

He added that the company does not collect any user data that the user has not explicitly given permission or consent to.

Jain said in the browser's incognito mode, all user data is completely encrypted and anonymised.

"Mi Browser will never know what you browse in incognito mode and can't identify you basis incognito browsing," he explained.

Jain pointed out that all Mi Browser and Mi Cloud data of Indian users is stored locally in AWS (Amazon Web Services) servers in India.

"...using Mi Browser or any Mi internet product is perfectly safe and we don't collect any information that the user has not given explicit consent to," Jain added.