China issues rules to stop apps from abusing user’s personal information in latest data privacy effort

  • More than 80 per cent of China’s internet users experienced data breaches in 2018 while more than one third of apps are prone to data safety risk

Minghe Huin Beijing
With 5 million apps in use in the country, China is catching up with its western peers in efforts to protect netizens’ personal information. Photo: Reuters

Chinese regulators have published new rules designed to prevent illegal collection and use of the personal information of app users, signalling the government’s determination to clean up unauthorised data collection by internet players.

The document, published jointly by China’s Cyberspace Administration, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Public Security, and State Administration for Market Regulation, provides a standard for identifying illegal collection and use of personal data by app developers.

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