Their CEO did fuck up with that, so for me they are on thin ice, but I haven’t seen anything else problematic since then.

You’re right, it doesn’t. What I’m saying is that is not a good argument to say it’s “high-tech spyware” because run-of-the-mill data-stealing crap does the same thing.

While it’s true that people should be wary of such apps (just being a data thief is enough for it to be bad), and there’s a decent chance that is indeed is spyware…

Even those who manage to disable the app find it reappears automatically, confirming its nature as high-tech spyware.

Isn’t this actually common behaviour in the usual bloatware crap that gets installed?

In the modlog for their ban, the reasons given are “Trolling and misogyny”, but iirc you can’t find deleted messages? So yeah.

https://sh.itjust.works/modlog/1215502

Not to defend China at all, but… this happened it many countries, it’s far from a China exclusive.

Now, whether it’s still done anywhere else I am not aware of…

It’s obviously not impossible, but you’ll find people calling every single private messaging platform honeypots. I don’t recall seeing any convincing proof for Tuta, personally.

Tbh this is more than mildly infuriating…

Tell me though, which company will not hand over what data they have when asked by their country’s judiciary?

The question here is how much data they keep. Strict legal minimum or more.