China will soon release a national standard for personal information protection, regulating access to, storage and publishing of personal information, an expert said during China Cybersecurity Week on Monday.
Chen Xingshu, professor of information and technology at Sichuan University and among those who drafted the standard, said "data controllers," including government departments, universities and Internet businesses, are required to follow the standard in collecting, treating and storing personal information.
The standard also defines responsibilities of data controllers and safety measures in dealing with personal data, she said.
China faces the risk of personal information leaks. In April 2015, Qihu 360's Internet security monitoring platform butian.360.cn found that tens of millions of Chinese residents registered in the country's social security system face the risk of personal information leaks due to system loopholes.
Moreover, the personal information of over 200,000 children, including their names, age, address and parents' telephone numbers in Jinan, Shandong Province were sold in April, triggering public outrage. The leak of personal information has also led to rampant telecom fraud, which has led to fraud and tragedies.
"We are discussing how to implement the standard and to promote a comprehensive real-name system," she said, adding that the standard will be released online in late October for public feedback.
