Draft seeks better data protection

Selling or illegally disclosing people's personal information may soon carry a criminal penalty, according to the draft amendment of the Criminal Law that yesterday began making its way through the top legislature.

If passed, staff with access to personal information, such as those working at government offices, financial, medical and educational institutions and transport, and communications departments, who are found to have sold or leaked it could face up to three years in jail.

People that illegally obtain personal information also incur criminal penalties, under the draft submitted yesterday to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).