China yesterday ordered smartphone app stores to stop selling Didi Global's app after finding that the ride-hailing giant had illegally collected users' personal data.
Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said on its social media feed that it had ordered Didi to make changes to comply with Chinese data protection rules.
CAC on Friday announced an investigation into Didi to protect "national security and the public interest," two days after the firm began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Didi, which offers services in China and more than 15 other markets, gathers vast amounts of real-time mobility data every day. Founded by Will Cheng in 2012, the company has already been subject to regulatory probes in China over safety and its operating licence. The company is backed by Alibaba (9988) and Tencent (0700).
