Pudong mall apologizes for excessive collection of personal data

Taikoo Li Qiantan, a landmark shopping mall in the Pudong New Area, has apologized and made improvements after being accused of excessive collection of consumers' personal information, the Shanghai Consumer Council revealed on Tuesday.

The council said last week it was following complaints from consumers that the mall sought too much information in its privacy policy for user registration on its WeChat mini program.

It required users' consent on its privacy policy, which included obtaining users' photos, ID card numbers, bank account numbers and even travel tracks, according to the council.

It also asked for users' consent on handling these sensitive personal data, which was compulsory for registration, the council added.

These demands allegedly violate China's cyberspace security law and guidelines on app's collection of personal information, said Hou Chaohui, a local lawyer.

The council said that it had received a feedback from Taikoo Li Qiantan, which apologized for causing confusion and apprehension among the public.

The mall claimed it had made improvements such as seeking consent from consumers who now only need to provide their cell phone number for user registration, with the remaining information collected based on consumers' will, the council noted.

It also promised to properly keep, use and protect the personal information of consumers.

The council said it expected the shopping mall to guarantee the personal information safety of consumers and provide more transparent and better services for them.