30 Firms Reprimanded Over Data Privacy Violations in Guangdong
The Guangdong Communications Administration ordered 30 firms including banks and securities firms to fix the breaches and revamp their mobile phone apps.
China’s GDCA (Guangdong Communications Administration) has reprimanded 30 banks, financial services and fintech firms for unauthorised data access and collection through their mobile phone apps, the SCMP reports.
The GDCA alleges that 30 companies using 201 of their apps illegally collected and accessed users’ data in breach of Guangdong province’s data privacy legislation.
The alleged offences committed by the 30 entities included unauthorised access to users’ IP addresses, location data, camera and frequently demanding access to non-essential services even after being rejected by users, the report said.
Among those reprimanded included ICBC, Sino Life Insurance, Ping An Insurance Group, Guangfa Bank, Bank of Guangzhou, Shunde Rural Commercial Bank, Bank of Dongguan, Wanlian Securities, First Capital Securities and Tencent.
The GDCA was prompted to issue the reprimand after it found that some entities failed to disclose the method, purpose and scope of collecting the personal information of users on their apps. It has since ordered erring entities to fix the breaches and revamp their apps or risk heavier penalties.
China’s GDCA (Guangdong Communications Administration) has reprimanded 30 banks, financial services and fintech firms for unauthorised data access and collection through their mobile phone apps, the SCMP reports.
The GDCA alleges that 30 companies using 201 of their apps illegally collected and accessed users’ data in breach of Guangdong province’s data privacy legislation.
The alleged offences committed by the 30 entities included unauthorised access to users’ IP addresses, location data, camera and frequently demanding access to non-essential services even after being rejected by users, the report said.
Among those reprimanded included ICBC, Sino Life Insurance, Ping An Insurance Group, Guangfa Bank, Bank of Guangzhou, Shunde Rural Commercial Bank, Bank of Dongguan, Wanlian Securities, First Capital Securities and Tencent.
The GDCA was prompted to issue the reprimand after it found that some entities failed to disclose the method, purpose and scope of collecting the personal information of users on their apps. It has since ordered erring entities to fix the breaches and revamp their apps or risk heavier penalties.
