On November 20, 2025, blogger Yu Zehui took to social media to voice grievances regarding the Starbucks APP's inappropriate use of precise location tracking. The app was reportedly sending real-time promotional messages about the "One Bean, Two Drinks" campaign to users as they passed by Starbucks stores. This persistent messaging along the user's route gave rise to what many are calling "stalking-like" marketing tactics. Users argue that such behavior is conducted without their explicit consent and constitutes a form of passive harassment. This stands in stark contrast to the privacy policy's assertion that "location information is solely utilized for purposes such as locating stores, placing orders, and similar scenarios."

In response to these allegations, Starbucks customer service claimed to be unaware of the issue and stated that they had already forwarded the complaint to their public relations department for further investigation. It's worth noting that Starbucks has faced scrutiny from regulatory authorities multiple times in the past regarding its personal information collection practices. In June 2023, the company was questioned for allegedly inducing users to divulge their personal information. Subsequently, in April 2025, Starbucks made rectifications based on guidance from the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration. And most recently, in June 2025, the company was notified for illegally collecting and using personal information.