China Releases Draft Rules on Personal Data Collection for Internet Apps

Beijing — China’s Cyberspace Administration (Cyberspace Administration of China) on Saturday released a draft regulation aimed at governing the collection and use of personal information by internet applications, seeking public feedback.

The draft aims to protect the rights and interests of personal information and ensure the proper use of personal data.

According to the draft, internet applications must limit the collection and use of personal information strictly to what is necessary and must not exceed the required scope.

It is mandatory for applications to clearly inform users about the rules on personal data collection and use when the app is first launched, through prominent means such as pop-up notifications, and to obtain users’ explicit consent.

The draft also states that applications must not collect or use personal information of individuals other than the user, such as by accessing address books, call logs, or SMS permissions, except when necessary for communication, adding contacts, or data backup.

In cases where personal information is provided to third parties, separate consent from the user is required.

China has made the draft public to gather suggestions and feedback from the general public.