NewsBreak, a subsidiary of China-based company Yidian, is described as the "most downloaded US news app." Despite being launched by a Chinese company and having most of its algorithm work done by China-based engineers, the app presents itself as a US-based company with US investors. The CEO, Jeff Zheng, insists that the app complies with US data and privacy laws and that its Chinese staff can only access anonymous data stored on US-based Amazon servers. Reuters found no evidence that NewsBreak has published stories favoring the Chinese government, despite its connections to China.
Key takeaways:
- NewsBreak, a popular US news app, has been publishing false stories written by AI since 2021, including a fabricated shooting incident and incorrect information about charity events.
- The app has also allegedly copied articles from other websites without permission and has previously settled copyright infringement cases with at least two publications.
- NewsBreak is a subsidiary of China-based company Yidian, and its primary investors include IDG Capital, a Beijing-based company that the Pentagon says is affiliated with the Chinese military.
- Despite its Chinese connections, there is no evidence to suggest that NewsBreak has published stories favoring the Chinese government, and the company maintains that it complies with US data and privacy laws.