Realme UI Under Investigation for Default Setting Collecting Personal Data: How to Protect Your Privacy

Realme UI 4.0, the latest software release from smartphone manufacturer Realme, has sparked controversy following the discovery of a default system setting that gathers personal data without obtaining user consent. The prominent Indian technology YouTube channel Trackin Tech brought this matter to light during their review of the Realme 11 Pro+ video. The channel identified a feature called “Enhanced Intelligent Services” within the system settings of Realme smartphones, raising questions about the company’s data collection practices and user privacy.

Following the revelation, we at Smartprix, conducted our investigation on Realme and several other branded smartphones. We can confirm the existence of this Enhanced Intelligent Services setting which is turned on by default. Surprisingly, the same setting was found on a OnePlus 11R running OxygenOS 13, OPPO Reno 8.

Upon closer examination, the description for Enhanced Intelligent Services reveals its intrusive nature. The setting requires permission to access users’ unread messages and missed calls, calendar events, call logs, and SMS messages, in addition to necessitating an internet connection. This means that Realme is collecting sensitive personal data that users would typically refrain from sharing, especially with their smartphone manufacturer. Moreover, the setting is cleverly buried deep within the smartphone’s settings menu, making it challenging for non-tech-savvy users to discover.

The gravity of this privacy breach has not gone unnoticed. Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, voiced concern over the matter on social media platform Twitter. Chandrasekhar assured the public that the Government of India, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), will launch an investigation into the issue.

Realme UI 4.0 has faced criticism since its initial announcement, primarily due to the presence of bloatware, excessive advertisements, bugs, and embedded explicit content. Although Realme has made efforts to address these concerns, the revelation of this major privacy and security issue demands swift attention.

To mitigate the potential risk, users are advised to disable the Enhanced Intelligent Services setting on their Realme, OnePlus, and Oppo smartphones. The following steps can be taken:

1. Open the Settings app and access “System Services” through the Additional Settings section.
2. Locate the “Enhanced Intelligent Services” option, which is enabled by default, and disable it to prevent further sharing of personal data with the smartphone manufacturer.

This recent development underscores the importance of thoroughly scrutinizing the devices we use in our daily lives. As our digital data and assets hold immense significance, it is crucial that we remain vigilant about safeguarding them. While technology has become an integral part of our lives, it should not grant manufacturers unrestricted access to exploit our privacy. By making informed choices, we can exercise control over the technology we invite into our lives.