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SINGAPORE – The Singapore-based developer of the Islamic smartphone app Muslim Pro has denied allegations that it is selling its users’ personal data to the US military.
Application developer Bitsmedia told The Straits Times on Tuesday (November 17) that it will immediately terminate its relationships with its data partners, without specifying who they are.
According to a Vice Media report released Monday, the US military is buying private information collected from apps around the world, including Muslim Pro, which has more than 98 million downloads worldwide and presents services as a online Quran library as well as a daily prayer time. calendar.
“This is wrong and false. Protecting and respecting the privacy of our users is Muslim Pro’s top priority,” said Ms Zahariah Jupary, Muslim Pro Community Head.
“As one of the most trusted Muslim apps in the past 10 years, we adhere to the strictest privacy standards and data protection regulations, and we never share any personally identifiable information.”
He added that the app’s developer has launched an internal investigation and is reviewing its data governance policy to confirm that all user data was handled correctly.
Vice had reported that the US military bought the Muslim Pro data through a third-party data broker called X-Mode. Data brokers collect data or buy it from other companies.
The data allegedly purchased included location information, as well as the name of the Wi-Fi network a user was connected to, a timestamp, and information about the phone the apps are installed on, such as its model.
Miss Zahariah said that Muslim Pro had started working together with X-Mode four weeks ago, but that any cooperation with the company and other “data partners” has since ended.
She did not reveal what exactly X-Mode was working on with Bitsmedia.
The Singapore Islamic Religious Council (Muis) said, in response to ST’s inquiries, that it has no oversight on apps like Muslim Pro and does not provide any support to them.
“We encourage the Muslim community to be careful when using such apps,” a Muis spokesperson said, adding that this includes being careful about the personally identifiable information they reveal, the specific terms and conditions that come with using the apps. and the content that such applications provide.
He said Muis has its own supporting app, Muslim SG, which provides information for local Muslims, such as prayer times, halal-certified food outlets, and mosque locations.
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