"Line users' info accessed by technicians in China without consent", 17 Mar 2021

Messaging app provider Line Corp. said Wednesday its app users' personal information had been accessed by technicians in China without users being informed as required by law.

Line, whose app is used by over 86 million of Japan's some 126 million people, says in its data protection guideline that customers' personal information can be transferred overseas. But it does not specify the name of any foreign country despite being required to do so under a legal change last year.

Line said a Chinese affiliate entrusted to develop artificial intelligence technologies had access to its database at least 32 times.

Four technicians of Line's affiliate company in China were able to see users' names, phone numbers and email addresses along with messages reported by users as inappropriate from around the summer of 2018. Conventional messages were not read as they were encrypted.

"We are very sorry for causing anxiety and concerns due to our inadequate explanations," the app operator said in a statement, adding that some of its app users' personal information stored in Japan was able to be accessed from its operating bases abroad, a system in place to improve its services.

Line said it has confirmed no improper data use and blocked access to its database from China in February.

The app operator said it has reported the matter to the government's Personal Information Protection Commission and will soon set up a third-party panel to investigate the incident.

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