In a move raising serious privacy concerns, Samsung has pre-installed the “AppCloud” application—developed by an Israeli tech firm—on its A-series and M-series smartphones. The app is non-removable, and its primary purpose appears to be the covert collection of user data across North Africa and West Asia.
Digital Rights Group Slams Samsung for Privacy Breach
The SMEX organization, which advocates for digital rights across the Arab world, has formally demanded that Samsung disclose its data policy regarding the forced installation of AppCloud. The group has called for full transparency around how the app collects data, its privacy practices, and whether users have any option to opt out or uninstall the application.
According to SMEX, AppCloud is built by IronSource, an Israeli company. The app extracts sensitive user data without knowledge or consent, and it is permanently embedded into the phone’s operating system.
Since Samsung’s 2022 partnership with IronSource, the app has come pre-installed on devices sold specifically in Muslim-majority regions like North Africa and West Asia—a choice critics say is deeply political.
Non-Removable, High-Risk Surveillance Tool
SMEX confirmed that AppCloud cannot be deleted, as it is deeply integrated into the phone’s OS. Only those with root access—a technical process most users avoid—could attempt removal. Even then, such deletion could disable core security functions, putting the device at further risk.
The organization also highlighted the lack of transparency in AppCloud’s privacy policy. There are no clear terms outlining how personal data is collected, stored, or used, nor is there an available method for users to safely unsubscribe.
Clear Violation of Global Data Protection Laws
SMEX warned that AppCloud gathers highly sensitive information, including biometric data, IP addresses, and unique device fingerprints, without user consent. Such activity directly violates the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and breaches multiple national privacy laws across the Middle East and North Africa.
The group is urging Samsung to:
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- Fully disclose its data collection practices related to AppCloud;
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- Provide a clear and effective method for users to opt out and uninstall the app;
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- Ensure that doing so will not void device warranties or affect phone performance;
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- Explain its decision to target the A and M series in Muslim regions with this invasive software.
Pro-Islamic Concerns: Surveillance as a Tool of Soft Colonialism
Critics and privacy advocates are calling this not just a violation of user rights, but a strategic act of digital surveillance in regions where resistance to Zionist expansion and occupation is high. The unconsented data mining of Muslims in the Arab and Islamic world—by software rooted in the Israeli tech-military-industrial complex—raises serious questions about surveillance colonialism and the erosion of digital sovereignty in Palestine, Lebanon, and beyond.
