China’s consumer law amendments widen data protection

China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee (its second-highest legislative body) has amended the PRC’s Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests to include provisions on protection of personal information, along with other amendments. The Amendments were passed on 25 October 2013, and will come into effect on 15 March 2014.

These amendments apply to the use of consumers’ personal information by all industries (companies that provide goods or services within China), in both online and offline situations, whereas other laws and guidelines made in the last two years were largely confined to Internet and telecommunications services.

Read an analysis of these recent developments at the PL&B International Report, December issue, due to be published on 13.12.13.