Chinese lawmakers urged to speed up online privacy legislation

Chinese legislators have been advised to clarify the procedures and obligations for internet network operators on the collection and protection of personal data.

A top-level report on the nation’s new Cybersecurity Law has concluded that work to draw up laws for online privacy protection should be strengthened and accelerated.

Law enforcement agencies should also set specific rules for the collection of personal information to prevent the abuse of real-name registration systems, it added.

The report was submitted to the bimonthly meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State legislature, on Sunday.

The findings are based on enforcement inspections in September and October by a team of NPC deputies, as well as a China Youth Daily survey on cybersecurity.

A poll of 10,370 respondents found 61 percent had been blocked from using online services or products because they refused to agree to the collection of their personal data.

Just under half of interviewees also said they felt that the collection of personal information was excessive.

Over the past two years, police have detained about 11,000 suspects in more than 3,700 cases related to infringements of personal data, according to the report.

Between 2014 and this September, courts nationwide heard 1,529 cases in which defendants were accused of using the internet to infringe on a person’s privacy, it added.