Apple clarifies only iCloud users in China will see data migration to Chinese server

Earlier this week, Apple notified users living in China that their data would be moved to a Chinese company's servers in compliance with local laws. There was some confusion, however, as a number of customers who currently live outside of China received the same message.

Apple on Friday clarified the situation with a follow-up email that notes only iCloud users living within China, or whose Apple ID country is China, will see their iCloud data migrated to servers operated by Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co. Ltd., reports TechCrunch.

The iCloud data handover is in compliance with Chinese internet regulations covering cloud services owned by foreign corporations.

You recently received an email from us notifying you about an upcoming change for iCloud services in China. This email was sent in error. No changes have been made to your iCloud account.
We are very sorry that you received this email. This email was intended only for customers whose Apple ID country is China. A very small number of our customers whose Apple ID country is not China also received this email by mistake.

On Wednesday, Apple told Chinese Apple ID holders that it will pass control of its iCloud services to GCBD in late February. TechCrunch later discovered a number of U.S. iCloud users received the email meant for Chinese customers.

How the mixup occurred is unknown, though Apple did confirm the validity of the follow-up email.

The data migration and similar actions by other companies have riled privacy advocates who cite China's strict internet censorship practices as reason for concern. Apple, however, claims its partnership with GCBD, which dates back to last year, grants customers strong data privacy and security protections. Importantly, the company promises no backdoors will be created by government agencies or other entities.

Those who do not wish to have their iCloud account data moved to GCBD have until the end of February to terminate their account.

12 Comments

racerhomie3 7 Years · 1264 comments

About 6 years ago

I urge folks in China who are reading this to delete iCloud account & use local encrypted iTunes backup.

macseeker 8 Years · 541 comments

Hello Mickey; Does this includes US citizens living in China? What about other non Chinese citizens living in China? The article is kinda vague. From the article it seems like any Apple ID user in China is affected. Thank you.

ivanh 12 Years · 596 comments

It’s about National Security of the whole world outside mainland China, Mr Tim Cook!
If you’re a university student and your uni friends come from Australia, US, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Singapore ... and mainland China. All of you are using iPhone and thus all of you have an Apple ID. All your messages will be stored in mainland China and be monitored be the Chinese Government because some of the mainland Chinese students have their Apple IDs and iCloud data are stored in China?
Tim, so least you need to let us identify whose Apple IDs are registered in the mainland China please.

1STnTENDERBITS 8 Years · 460 comments

racerhomie3 said:

I urge folks in China who are reading this to delete iCloud account & use local encrypted iTunes backup.

I would urge folks in China to definitely not do what you're suggesting. If they follow your advice the only thing they'd be doing is putting a target on their back that says, "Hey, look at me. I have an iPhone in China and for some odd reason I have no iCloud account attached to it. There's absolutely no need for you to come see what I'm doing." Because if they come looking, and if you're an odd duck they will, you're probably going to want to wish you didn't have to explain an encrypted backup. China is not the US or Europe.

A better suggestion would be for those people to manage what's synced to their iCloud accounts.

polymnia 15 Years · 1080 comments

ivanh said:

It’s about National Security of the whole world outside mainland China, Mr Tim Cook!
If you’re a university student and your uni friends come from Australia, US, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Singapore ... and mainland China. All of you are using iPhone and thus all of you have an Apple ID. All your messages will be stored in mainland China and be monitored be the Chinese Government because some of the mainland Chinese students have their Apple IDs and iCloud data are stored in China?
Tim, so least you need to let us identify whose Apple IDs are registered in the mainland China please.

Much like scholars in the past who wrote letters to Soviet scientists, you should probably excercise discretion when communicating via a method that is likely to be surveilled. This isn’t new problem. Apple can not influence Chinese policy anymore than the USPS could influential the USSR’s.