China Has Not Banned Samsung Phones Over “Israeli Spyware”

Viral posts claim that China plans to ban Samsung phones because they are “embedded with unremovable Israeli spyware,” and that China is also banning Samsung, Motorola, Apple, and Google Pixel on security grounds. However, we found the claim is misleading.

Social Media Posts

Posts assert that “China plans to ban Samsung phones over embedded ‘unremovable Israeli spyware,’” and some broaden the allegation to a wider ban on foreign phones.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

Has China announced a nationwide ban on Samsung or other foreign phones?

China has not announced any nationwide ban on Samsung, Apple, Motorola, Google Pixel, or other foreign-brand phones for the general public. On September 13, 2023, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that China “has not issued laws, regulations or policy documents” banning the purchase or use of foreign-brand phones. The Ministry reiterated equal treatment for domestic and foreign companies under China’s cybersecurity and data laws. (Source)

Why are there recurring reports of “bans” inside China?

Some government agencies and state-backed firms have told employees not to bring iPhones and other foreign devices to work. These are internal workplace restrictions, not public, nationwide bans. The directives were often delivered verbally or via internal messages and do not constitute a China-wide prohibition on consumers buying or using foreign phones. (Source: Reuters, Bloomberg)

Did Chinese authorities allege “Israeli spyware” in Samsung phones?

As of now, we found no Chinese government documents, regulatory notices, or state-media reports claiming that Samsung devices contain “Israeli spyware,” and no official announcement of a nationwide ban for that reason. The allegation appears in viral posts, not in verifiable official sources.

What about Apple, Motorola, and Google Pixel in China?

Reports of restrictions mainly concern iPhones used for official work in some agencies, not a consumer ban. There is no official nationwide ban on Samsung or Motorola devices. Google Pixel phones are not officially sold in mainland China for commercial reasons unrelated to any newly announced ban, and claims bundling “Pixel” into a China-wide prohibition misstate current availability versus policy. (Source)

Gizmochina also reported and framed it as an expanding “ban” on non-Chinese smartphones in government workplaces, sometimes extrapolating its market impact. Use these as context on how the claim spread, not as proof of a nationwide policy.

Privacy Concerns vs. Official Policy: The NGO Perspective

Digital-rights organizations and NGOs have documented privacy concerns about preinstalled software (called “AppCloud” or “Aura,” developed by ironSource, now owned by Unity) found on certain Samsung budget models sold in some regions. These groups have published letters and reports calling for greater transparency, user control, and easier removal options, noting that the software is difficult to uninstall. It’s important to understand that these are independent advocacy findings, not official determinations by the Chinese government, and they do not constitute evidence of any China-wide ban on Samsung devices. (Source)

Conclusion

The claim that China has banned Samsung phones over “Israeli spyware” is misleading. China has not announced any nationwide ban on Samsung or other foreign-brand phones for consumers. While some government agencies have restricted foreign devices in the workplace for security reasons, and privacy advocates have raised concerns about preinstalled software on certain Samsung models, these do not constitute an official consumer ban based on “Israeli spyware.”