On May 8, 2026, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released five typical cases targeting the infringement of citizens’ personal information and associated cybercrimes. The selection highlights a coordinated judicial strategy centered on four strategic pillars: source eradication, data security enforcement, suppressing cyber “doxxing” (locally termed “kaihe” or “box-opening", and dismantling full-chain criminal networks.
The illicit trade and leakage of personal data have escalated significantly in recent years, propelled by increasingly sophisticated, clandestine technologies that fuel an extensive "black-and-gray" cyber industry.
The case of Lin and Wang released this time is very typical. Between 2023 and 2025, the duo illicitly amassed hundreds of millions of data profiles via the internet to construct a commercialized "social engineering database" (shegongku) website, which stockpiled over 170 million verified personal records for profitable exploitation. Furthermore, Lin curated a digital chatroom comprising over 2,000 active participants, utilizing the platform to orchestrate highly targeted doxxing campaigns that exposed victims' private details alongside severe online harassment and defamation.
The court convicted Lin of both infringing upon citizens' personal information and illegally utilizing information networks, sentencing him to seven years in prison coupled with a 70,000 yuan (USD 9,700) fine. Wang was sentenced to five and a half years in imprisonment and fined 50,000 yuan (USD 6,900) for data infringement.
The emphasis on these offenses reflects broader judicial trends outlined in recent official disclosures. According to the SPC’s annual work report published earlier in March, Chinese courts adjudicated over 9,300 cyber-safety criminal cases over a five-year period, representing a sharp 158.5% surge. The explicit inclusion of this severe doxxing precedent in the SPC's 2026 annual report serves as a decisive institutional directive signaling zero tolerance for cyber violence and algorithmic harassment.
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team
