The Chinese government has used local laws to push alternative energy car manufacturers within the country to send the location data of their users, The Associated Press reports. More than 200 manufacturers deliver location information and other data points to government monitoring centers, often without the users’ permission. The Chinese government said it uses the data to improve public safety and industrial developments, while privacy advocates believe it is for different purposes. “The government wants to know what people are up to at all times and react in the quickest way possible,” Human Rights Watch Senior China Researcher Maya Wang said. “There is zero protection against state surveillance. Tracking vehicles is one of the main focuses of their mass surveillance.”
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