China puts brakes on Didi app downloads over data violation charges

China’s cyberspace regulator has ordered the removal of the country’s largest ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing from mobile app stores following allegations of “serious violations of law and regulations” in collecting and using personal information.

The crackdown comes days after the leading Chinese ride-hailing platform – and arguably the second in the world after Uber — made its Wall Street debut on Wednesday, pegging the company’s value at more than $69 billion at the end of the launch day.

Didi’s app was still working in China on Monday for users who had already downloaded it. It offers over 20 million rides in China every day.

“Investigations concluded the app severely violated relevant laws and regulations while collecting and abusing user data,” the administration was quoted as saying by the news agency Xinhua.