Draft personality rights section of civil code gets 3rd reading at China's top legislature

BEIJING -- A new draft of the personality rights section of the civil code was submitted Thursday to the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee for a third reading.

In a chapter on privacy and personal information protection, the draft revised the definition of personal information by including a person's email address and whereabouts, in addition to name, birth date, address, ID card and telephone numbers, among others.

In a move to better protect privacy rights, the draft also proposed in a new clause banning any organization or individual from searching, entering, spying on and filming others' hotel rooms or other private spaces, unless otherwise prescribed by law or with the rights holder's consent.

Chinese lawmakers will deliberate the new draft personality rights section and a new draft section on torts of the civil code in panel discussions during the ongoing legislative session, which will run from Thursday to Monday.