129 apps named for illegal data collection

The nation's Cyberspace Administration has added 129 apps to the list of those exposed for collecting users' data without their permission.

The apps in question are in seven categories, ranging from fitness apps such as Keep, to online shops like Nike, and news and live-streaming platforms such as ByteDance's Toutiao and Huya, the country's cyberspace authority said.

The investigation was conducted in response to some users' complaints about certain apps' demand for personal information that had nothing to do with the services they offered, or their requirement for excessive personal data, the top internet watchdog said.

There are other apps that were found to have collected personal information without getting permission from their users.

Early in May, the administration exposed dozens of other apps, including Sogou Translate and Baidu Map, which were illegally collecting personal information. The apps were urged to rectify the situation within 10 days.

China has intensified efforts against personal information infringement through administrative and legal measures in recent years.

In April, for instance, the draft to China's first law on personal information protection was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, for a second review.