Personal data protection legislation has been a widely discussed topic in recent years in China, mainly because employees of institutions that amass personal data of users and clients in the course of their business (such as internet companies, hospitals, phone companies, banks and insurance companies) are selling the personal/client data for profit or disclose the data to third parties inappropriately. In extreme cases, databases of personal information can even be downloaded online freely.

Despite cries for a comprehensive national personal data protection law, no such law is in place yet. However, the past two years have witnessed a series of laws, administrative regulations and standards, which are aimed at tightening control over involuntary dissemination of personal data.