Beijing acts to protect personal information online
- By Yan Pei
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China.org.cn, July 29, 2011
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued draft regulations instructing Chinese Web sites to respect personal information protection policies, Chinanews.com reported Thursday.
The blueprint outlines different types of infringement of personal privacy by "internet information service providers," advising the Web sites and other online platforms not to collect any information related to a user that – either alone or in combination with other information – could specifically identify that user.
The new directive also prohibits the use or transfer of such information to a third party in a bid to curb the widespread collection and sale of personal information to spammers, advertisers and criminals.
Under the new regulations, providers will only be allowed to gather personal information that is necessary to the provision of their services. And they must inform users what they collect, how they collect it and what they will use it for.
Those who violate the rules above will be subject to administrative fines between 10,000 and 30,000 yuan.
China does not have a law specifically focused on internet privacy protection. In 2002, the MIIF announced a law with a similar title, but it does not cover the protection of personal information.
