Banks' obligation to protect data of customers

FIFTEEN PEOPLE in Mianyang, Sichuan province in Southwest China, have been caught leaking and trading the personal banking information of 2.57 million users. Those involved, who included bank managers, raked in 2.3 million yuan ($349,000) selling the information to brokers. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Tuesday:

According to the reports, managers in a sub-branch of a rural commercial bank sold the information of people making credit system queries at 10,000 yuan per person. Likewise, two employees from a branch of CITIC Bank accessed the credit reports of customers and sold the information to brokers.

The frequent reports of personal information leaks have raised concerns about how people's personal information is used and protected. But the case revealed by Mianyang police is worrying as it involves the comprehensive selling of customers' personal details by bank employees.