Data privacy Illustration: VCG

A total of 84 apps including 36 safety management apps including Tencent Mobile Manager and Baidu Mobile Security, and 48 online loan apps were named by Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Monday for illegally collecting and using personal information. 

These apps were reported for collecting users' personal data without obtaining users' consent and collecting personal information unrelated to the apps' core function or service, according to CAC's website, noting that relevant app operators should complete the rectification within 15 working days from Monday, and report their rectification process to CAC.

This is not the first time in 2021 for CAC to detect apps for overly and falsely obtaining and using users' personal information. 

A total of 15 keyboard apps and 17 navigation apps including Baidu Input and several major navigation apps such as Alibaba's Amap and Baidu map were ordered by CAC to rectify their data collection in May.    

China published a new regulation in March to clarify the scope of collecting necessary personal information for 39 types of commonly used apps, aiming to standardize apps' collection of personal data and protect individuals' personal information security.

Global Times