China to beef up personal data protection in internet applications

BEIJING - China's cyberspace regulator on Saturday released draft rules regulating the collection and use of personal information by internet applications, seeking public feedback.

The draft, formulated by the Cyberspace Administration of China, aims to protect the rights and interests of personal information and ensure the proper use of personal data.

According to the draft, the collection and use of personal information should be strictly limited to what is necessary for providing products or services, and must not exceed the required scope.

It also states that internet applications should, upon first launch, clearly inform users of the rules on the collection and use of personal information through prominent means such as pop-up notifications and obtain users' explicit consent.

In addition, the draft requires that internet applications must not collect or use the personal information of individuals other than the user by accessing address books, call logs, or SMS permissions, except where such access is necessary for communication purposes, adding contacts, or data backup.

In the event that personal information is provided to third parties, applications are required to obtain users' separate consent, according to the draft.