Huawei gets into trouble after tracking MWC 2023 attendees

Huawei presented some of the most amazing products at MWC 2023. There were many surprises for the visitors. However, it appears like besides the tech advancements there was another surprise for Huawei visitors. And that surprise is not good at all. Since some reports suggest that the company installed a tracking device on the card that was presented to the visitors. Currently, the matter is being investigated by GSM Associates.

Huawei visitors were supposed to carry a badge or Huawei Pass while visiting the exhibition at MWC 2023. The pass included a badge and a lanyard. All the visitors were supposed to return the pass before leaving the company’s booth. Some of the visitors forgot to return the passes.

On the rear side of the card, a fine print can be spotted. According to this, the company utilizes RFID and Bluetooth technology to collect some data. The collected data include the swipe time of the card before entering the Huawei exhibition area, real-time location information, and residence time information of pass holders within the company’s booth.

Besides this, the fine print indicates that the information is merely collected to analyze the interests of the audience. It is just meant to ensure the provision of quality services. The data is secure under the company’s Privacy Policy. An official from the company stated that the pass is used only in the confines of the company’s booth. It is returned before a visitor leaves the area. Given this reason, there is no need to track location.

Lastly, the matter is under investigation by the GSM Association (GSMA). Interestingly, GSMA is responsible for holding the Mobile World Congress events. The organization stated that tracking device is a serious allegation. They further added that they are looking into this matter and there is no information that could be shared as of now.