Theses on digitization "Made in China" blog series

5. China protects data - just differently from the West

"It is often assumed that China has no data protection. That is not correct. China protects data just differently from the West. While the West, for example with the GDPR in Europe, protects personal data from companies, the state, and foreign states, the so-called Data Security Law of 2017 in China protects personal data from foreign states, but not to the same extent from companies or the domestic state. As of 01/01/2021, China's first Civil Code of the People's Republic has come into effect, which includes a section on personal rights and heralds a new era for Chinese civil law. Now, in China, it is possible to sue for the misuse of personal data. However, the opportunity for companies to analyze data with the consent of their customers is greater than that of European companies under the GDPR. And Chinese people are much more willing to share their personal data with companies if they receive added value, such as easier use of an app or service, in return."