context: As data breaches, information theft and identity fraud begin to carry more weight, state-affiliated research institutes argue for improved cybersecurity and privacy protection. Media is even broaching the 'right to be forgotten', which contrasts sharply with data trade, the social credit system, blockchain and other record-keeping efforts.
Closing an account on a mobile application is 'extremely difficult', said 75.9 percent of respondents in a survey by China Economic Daily. 62.9 percent indicated 'serious concerns' over information leaks, misuse or hacking. This clearly contradicts with Ministry of Industry and IT's 'Personal information protection regulations for telecommunications and internet users', issued in 2013, which requires internet operators to allow users to deactivate and delete accounts, explains Zhao Zhanling 赵占领 internet law practitioner.
Unused but not deleted accounts are a potential leak of passwords, email addresses and user names, says Li Tiejun 李铁军 Cheetah Mobile security officer. Chinese internet users are willing to trade privacy for convenience, argues Robin Li 李彦宏 Baidu CEO. Internet companies should be allowed to trade, exchange and analyse user information, says Li. Without proper user consent such actions would violate individual privacy rights, argues China Social Sciences Net (CSSN).
The right to keep personal information private, enshrined in the General Provisions of Civil Law, provides a legal and practical basis for a 'right to be forgotten', but in practise, individuals can only get information purged from the internet with official approval, says Gao Wancheng 高完成 Southwest University of Political Science and Law.
Blockchain technology clashes with this, points out Legal Weekly. Everything included in the blockchain is non-deletable and non-revisable, advancing transparency over privacy, says He Baohong 何宝宏 CAICT Institute of Cloud Computing and Big Data.