M&A Partner Authors Article on Beijing Data Privacy Laws

This article, authored by M&A and private equity of counsel Veronica Lockyer, discusses Beijing's data privacy guidelines and future data privacy laws. An excerpt from the article is included below.

Companies should be aware of the increasing attention paid to data privacy issues on the mainland. Although not binding, the Guideline constitutes the most comprehensive guidance so far from the mainland authorities regarding data privacy and it is likely that it will be used as the basis on which to develop a comprehensive binding data privacy law in the future.

Companies that collect personal data should ensure that they have in place privacy policies which inform individuals what personal data they are collecting and what such data will be used for.

They should ensure that the data collected are only used within the scope of the permission obtained. They should also ensure that they have appropriate management and technical measures in place to keep data secure and that their employees are trained in and understand the importance of compliance with the company's data privacy policies.