Controversies

Sogou Input Method encryption flaw may expose user input

A Citizen Lab study at the University of Toronto found vulnerabilities in the proprietary encryption mechanisms of Sogou Input Method's Windows, Android and iOS versions, potentially allowing network eavesdroppers to decrypt sensitive input. After the research team disclosed the issue, Sogou released fixed versions before July 20, 2023. The report describes an exploitable security vulnerability and does not claim on that basis that a large-scale data breach had occurred. Progress: independent research disclosure; the vendor has released fixed versions. Subject: Sogou Input Method.

Sogou Input Method notified by cyberspace regulator for illegal personal information collection and taken down

On April 30, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China notified 33 apps, including input methods, of illegal collection and use of personal information. Sogou Input Method (version 10.24.1) was found to have issues including violating the necessity principle and collecting personal information unrelated to the services it provides, and was required to rectify within 10 working days. Earlier, in February 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also included Sogou products in a notification list of apps infringing user rights. Because rectification was not completed on schedule, Sogou Input Method and others were subsequently removed from multiple app stores. Sogou was relisted after completing rectification; the incident pushed the input method industry toward standardized personal information collection.

Sogou fined over advertising claim

Fine or penalty

In a controversy noted in 2020, the Haidian District Market Supervision Administration fined Sogou RMB 30,000. The authority determined that Sogou's website had published an advertising claim describing its map app as having the strongest navigation functions. The fine followed that determination regarding the advertising wording on the website.