Imagine you have gone through a very serious phase in your life and you just want to share it with someone you trust and you talk about the event. thinking it’s all between you and the other person, no one else will ever know you talked to someone. But it’s not like that.

All of these activities are monitored and tracked, including your call logs, location, and messages. Someone is sending this data to a foreign country without your permission. Someone who violates your privacy and security.

Who is behind this? it’s your phone specifically, this is a feature of the phone called Enhanced Intelligent Services. And if you own a Realme or a OnePlus phone, you might have this feature on by default that is when you switched your phone on for the first time.

But worry not, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this feature and how you can disable it to save your privacy. Read on to find out more.

What is Enhanced Intelligent Services?

Enhanced Intelligent Services is a feature on Realme or OnePlus phones that collects user data and uses it to provide personalized and intelligent services. The collected data is claimed to provide smart features like Smart Guide, Smart Sidebar, Smart Assistant.

For example, smart driving can detect when you are driving and automatically switch to driving mode. A smart sidebar can give you quick access to frequently used apps and tools. Smart assistants can show you relevant information and suggestions based on your usage habits. Sounds good, right? Well, not so fast. There is a catch. To provide these services, the feature needs to collect a lot of data from your phone. And this data includes some sensitive information that you might not want to share with anyone.

What data does Enhanced Intelligent Services collect?

According to the details of this feature, the data collected is as follows:

  • Device information: This includes your device model, system version, IMEI number, MAC address.
  • App usage statistics: This includes the apps you use and your usage pattern of these apps.

BUT MOST IMPORANT OF ALL

  • Personal user data: This includes your call logs, SMS, location information, Calendar, etc.

That’s a lot of data. And some of it is very personal and private. Do you really want to share your call logs, SMS, and location information with anyone? Do you trust that this data will be used only for providing you with better services? Do you know where this data goes and who has access to it?

Where does Enhanced Intelligent Services send your data?

This is where things get scary. The feature sends your data to China. Yes, China. The country has been accused of spying on other countries and violating human rights.

As you already know, Realme is a Chinese smartphone company owned by BBK Electronics, which also owns other Chinese brands such as Vivo, Oppo, OnePlus, and iQoo.This feature sends your data to servers in China without your knowledge. And once your data arrives in China, there’s no guarantee it’s safe.

You may think you have nothing to hide and nothing to lose. But think again. Your data can reveal a lot about you and your life. It can reveal your Identity, Contacts, Interests, Likes, Opinions, and Habits.

And this data can be used against you in many ways. In the wrong hands, It can be used for targeted advertising, identity theft, blackmailing, cyberattacks, and political manipulation.

Do you really want to risk all that for some smart services?

What is the government doing about Enhanced Intelligent Services?

Fortunately, the government is aware of this issue and is taking action to protect user data and privacy. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Minister of State for Information Technology,

promised to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

He tweeted,

“We will investigate this matter and take appropriate action to protect users’ data and privacy.

If any user finds any suspicious or malicious features or apps on their phones – please report them immediately at cybercrime.gov.in”

Tweet by Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar

The government is taking steps to ban Chinese apps and devices that pose a threat to national security and user privacy. It also promotes local alternatives and encourages users to contact them. The government is doing everything to protect us from this feature. But we too, as responsible users, have to do our part.

What can you do to protect yourself from Enhanced Intelligent Services?

The best thing you can do to protect yourself from this feature is to, not use a phone from these brands but that is impractical so the second best thing that you can do is to turn it off. You can do this by going to Settings -> Additional Settings -> System Services -> Enhanced Intelligent Services. There, you will see a toggle switch that you can turn off.

However, please note that some functions of your phone may be affected, e.g. B. Smart Guide, Smart Sidebar, Smart Assistant. These are the features that use your data to provide you with personalized and intelligent services. But do you really need them? Or are they just a way to spy on you?

The choice is yours. You can keep using your Realme or OnePlus phone with this feature and risk losing your privacy and security. Or you can turn it off and enjoy your phone without any worries. Or better yet, you can switch to a different phone brand that respects your data and privacy.

Conclusion

Enhanced Intelligent Services is a feature on Realme and OnePlus phones that collects your data and sends it to China without your consent or knowledge. This feature poses a serious threat to user privacy and security. Enhanced Intelligent Services is a feature on Realme and OnePlus phones that collects your data and sends it to China without your consent or knowledge. This feature poses a serious threat to user privacy and security. Thankfully, the government of India is investigating the matter and taking action to protect user data and privacy. What do you think about this feature? Do you trust Realme with your data? Do you think the government will take action against them? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter @shutterclosed. I’d love to hear from you.