Forty-one mobile apps were named on Thursday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as violators of users' privacy.

These applications include Tencent's messaging app QQ, Sina Sports, Sohu News, tech news portal 36Kr and Xiaomi's finance app, and so on.

Infringements range from illegal collection and use of users' information, unreasonable request for user permissions, and obstacles in cancelling accounts, the ministry said.

QQ, one of the most used chat apps in China, accounted for nearly 700 million monthly active users last year, an increase of 2.5 percent year on year, according to Tencent's financial report.

Leading online media Sohu.com reported a total revenue of 482 million U.S. dollars for the third quarter, up nine percent year on year.

36Kr holdings went public on Nasdaq in November with a total deal size reaching 20 million U.S. dollars.

The ministry urged that these apps should rectify their violations before December 31, otherwise they will be faced with relevant punishment in accordance with the law.