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Did TikTok, AliExpress, and WeChat Really Ignore Your Data Rights? The Shocking Truth
Three big Chinese apps got in trouble for not giving people their own data. A group called noyb filed complaints against TikTok, AliExpress, and WeChat on July 17, 2025. These companies broke EU privacy laws by not following data access rules.
The Simple Truth About Your Data Rights
Under European law, you can ask any company for a copy of all your personal data. This is called Article 15 of GDPR. It’s like asking to see your own file at the doctor’s office – they have to show you what they have about you.
Most big tech companies make this easy. They have tools where you can download your own information quickly. But these three Chinese apps made it very hard or impossible.
What Each Company Did Wrong
TikTok’s Mistake
- Gave back only some data in a messy format that was hard to understand
- Failed to show who else got the data or where it went
- Made it impossible for users to check if their data was handled correctly
AliExpress’s Problem
- Sent a broken file that could only be opened once
- Didn’t answer follow-up questions when users asked for help
- Just repeated their privacy policy instead of giving actual personal data
WeChat’s Failure
- Simply ignored the request completely for six months
- Never responded to users asking for their own information
- Showed no effort to follow EU privacy laws
Why This Matters to You
When companies collect your personal information, they must be transparent about it. You have the right to:
- Know what data they have about you
- See how they use your information
- Find out who else they share it with
- Get a copy of all your personal data
As privacy lawyer Kleanthi Sardeli from noyb explained: “Tech companies love to collect as much data as possible about their users – but vehemently refuse to give them full access in line with EU law”.
The Money Problem Behind This
These privacy violations could cost the companies a lot of money. GDPR fines can be up to 4% of a company’s yearly income worldwide. For AliExpress alone, this could mean paying €147 million based on their €3.68 billion yearly earnings.
The maximum GDPR fine is either €20 million or 4% of global revenue, whichever is higher. This shows how seriously Europe takes privacy rights.
What Happens Next
The complaints were filed with privacy authorities in three countries:
- Belgium (for TikTok)
- Greece (for AliExpress)
- Netherlands (for WeChat)
These authorities will investigate and decide if the companies broke the law. They can order the companies to follow the rules and pay fines to prevent future violations.
This isn’t the first time noyb has gone after tech companies. In January 2025, they filed complaints against six Chinese companies for sending data to China illegally. During that process, some companies like SHEIN, Temu, and Xiaomi provided better information to users. But TikTok, AliExpress, and WeChat kept breaking the rules.
Tencent, which owns WeChat, said they follow local laws and protect user privacy. TikTok and AliExpress didn’t comment on the complaints.
What You Can Do
If you use these apps, you can:
- Request your own data to see what happens
- File complaints with your local privacy authority if they don’t respond
- Switch to apps that respect your privacy rights better
- Stay informed about how companies handle your personal information
The fight for your data rights continues. Companies that collect your information must follow the law and be honest about what they do with your personal data. When they don’t, organizations like noyb are there to hold them accountable.