Lawmakers have been deliberating on a draft personal information protection law that will define regulatory responsibilities and set legal liabilities for personal information protection. 

The security of personal information is a major concern in today's information society. Various online programs require customers to register and login with their personal information. While bringing convenience, they also give rise to the risk of information leaks.

Insufficient regulations and law enforcement capacity and low public awareness have compounded the problem. If a piece of personal information is obtained and sold illegally, it might lead to crank calls, junk messages or even telecom and online fraud.

Therefore, multi-pronged measures need to be taken, such as improving individual awareness of information security, strengthening legislation and law enforcement, and clarifying legal boundaries.

Rule of law is the most effective approach to governance. The information security legislation will not only deter attempts to abuse personal information, but also help tailor China's legal system to the needs of the digital age.

This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Gmw.cn on October 14 

(Print Edition Title: Personal Information Protection)