China’s National People’s Congress on Friday officially passed a law designed to protect online user data privacy and will implement the policy starting November 1, according to state-media outlet Xinhua.
The law’s passage completes another pillar in the country’s efforts to regulate cyberspace and is expected to add more compliance requirements for companies in the country
The law states that handling of personal information must have clear and reasonable purpose and shall be limited to the ”minimum scope necessary to achieve the goals of handling” data.
It also lays out conditions for which companies can collect personal data, including obtaining an individual’s consent, as well as laying out guidelines for ensuring data protection when data is transferred outside the country.
The law also calls for handlers of personal information to designate an individual in charge of personal information protection, and calls for handlers to conduct periodic audits to ensure compliance with the law.
The second draft of the Personal Information Protection law was released publicly in late April.