China's top procuratorate warns against personal data breach

BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Personal data breach has become a source of crimes involving telecom and internet fraud in China, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Wednesday.

Procuratorates across the country prosecuted over 9,800 people for breaching personal data in 2021, a 64-percent increase from 2020, according to data released by the top procuratorate.

Procuratorates last year prosecuted over 500 people working in industries such as telecom, banking, insurance and real estate, who were found to have been involved in personal data breaches, the SPP said.

About 40,000 people involved in telecom and internet fraud cases were also prosecuted in 2021, the SPP added, noting that the fraudulent activities were committed mainly under the pretense of personal finance and investment, dating and online shopping.