Cyberspace Administration of China regulates the collection of personal information by Apps.
At present, many Apps in China collect users’ personal information beyond the specified scope and compulsorily collect users’ personal information without the consent of the users.
In order to implement the principle that personal information shall be collected in a lawful, proper and necessary manner as specified in the Cyber Security Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国网络安全法), the National Internet Information Office of China has drafted the Necessary Scope of Personal Information Collected by Common Types of Mobile Internet Applications (Apps) (Draft for Comment) (the Instrument,常见类型移动互联网应用程序（App）必要个人信息范围(征求意见稿)), which is hereby issued for public comment.
This Instrument specifies the scope of personal information necessary for 38 types of Apps, such as map navigation, online car-hailing and instant messaging apps.
Necessary personal information refers to the personal information necessary to carry out the normal functions of apps, without which apps cannot provide services with basic functions. As long as the user agrees on the collection of necessary personal information by the app, the app shall not refuse the user to install and use it.
The public comment period closed on 16 Dec. 2020.
Contributors: Yanru Chen 陈彦茹
