China cracks down on ‘excessive’ user data harvesting, gives 33 apps ten days to clean up their acts
(2021/05/03)
- Reference: 1620004524
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/05/03/china_app_privacy_crackdown/
- Source link:
China has identified 33 apps that it says illegally collect information not necessary to their services, and given their operators ten days to perform “rectification”.
The apps – including some from Chinese web giants Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent – were told of the deadline in a [1]May 1st announcement from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
May 1st was also the day on which China’s new regulations for use of personal information by apps came into force. The new regulations require that apps secure informed and active consent from users, and when China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology introduced the scheme in February 2021 it extensive screening of apps to ensure they comply.
[2]
[3]
Among the sins of the apps listed on Saturday are not seeking consent, improperly using data and, in the case of a mapping app, using location data to display ads.
The ten-day deadline for a fix may be performative, as the new regulation and the Cyberspace Administration’s intention to enforce them are not secret, while Chinese corporations are seldom taken surprised by new legislative requirements.
China requires 'self-correction' of monopolistic behaviour by 34 local web giants [4]READ MORE
But the crackdown comes on top of an [5]anti-monopoly crackdown and the near-constant introduction of new privacy laws, usually accompanied by language pointing out that Beijing is happy for giant web companies to grow and thrive, provided that their goals and activities don’t negatively impact society.
No wonder Facebook doesn’t operate behind the Great Firewall. ®
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[1] http://www.cac.gov.cn/2021-04/30/c_1621370239178608.htm
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YI91XRnV80nti3pYvl1V5gAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YI91XRnV80nti3pYvl1V5gAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/14/china_34_web_platform_crackdown/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/30/china_web_finance_crackdown/
[6] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The apps – including some from Chinese web giants Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent – were told of the deadline in a [1]May 1st announcement from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
May 1st was also the day on which China’s new regulations for use of personal information by apps came into force. The new regulations require that apps secure informed and active consent from users, and when China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology introduced the scheme in February 2021 it extensive screening of apps to ensure they comply.
[2]
[3]
Among the sins of the apps listed on Saturday are not seeking consent, improperly using data and, in the case of a mapping app, using location data to display ads.
The ten-day deadline for a fix may be performative, as the new regulation and the Cyberspace Administration’s intention to enforce them are not secret, while Chinese corporations are seldom taken surprised by new legislative requirements.
China requires 'self-correction' of monopolistic behaviour by 34 local web giants [4]READ MORE
But the crackdown comes on top of an [5]anti-monopoly crackdown and the near-constant introduction of new privacy laws, usually accompanied by language pointing out that Beijing is happy for giant web companies to grow and thrive, provided that their goals and activities don’t negatively impact society.
No wonder Facebook doesn’t operate behind the Great Firewall. ®
Get our [6]Tech Resources
[1] http://www.cac.gov.cn/2021-04/30/c_1621370239178608.htm
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YI91XRnV80nti3pYvl1V5gAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YI91XRnV80nti3pYvl1V5gAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/14/china_34_web_platform_crackdown/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/30/china_web_finance_crackdown/
[6] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Yes?
Brian Miller
I think you mean "¥€$"
If the companies are "transparent" as the Chinese government would like, then all data is aggregated on the government's behalf, without any withholding. Or maybe it could be called data hoarding.
No, all of this data is sold on for advertising, in the vain belief that more data means more sales.
When will we
redpawn
have our governments do the same? Though a stopwatch might just need access to your camera and microphone to work properly.
Re: When will we
Gene Cash
Christ... if America did this, and MEANT it (i.e. no loopholes for big corporations) then I might have a heart attack.
If America did it in TEN DAYS then I'd know for sure someone's pulling my leg. Congress couldn't do something in 10 days if their collective lives depended on it.
Double kudos to China.
Yes?
It sounds like a good step, although it undoubtedly doesn't apply to the Chinese government's collection of data.
Then again, if the American government would introduce a similar regulation I'd appreciate it, even though it wouldn't apply to our own government Agencies.
Something is better than nothing.