Draft Chinese law targets excessive collection of personal data by apps

A visitor watches a promotion video at the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2021 in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A draft law on personal information protection will make provisions against the excessive collection of personal data by apps, a spokesperson with China's national legislature said on Friday.

Malpractices such as big data-enabled price discrimination against existing customers will also be targeted, said Zang Tiewei, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature.

Under the draft law to be further deliberated by national lawmakers, the personal data of individuals below the age of 14 will be deemed sensitive, and special processing protocols will need to be formulated by personal information processors for this group.

The draft law will be reviewed at the NPC Standing Committee session to be convened from Aug. 17 to Aug. 20.