Malls put up 'clean code' for parking after crackdown

Shanghai's 462 shopping malls that have parking lots have put up "clean codes" for charging parking fees following crackdowns by local authorities on the excessive collection of consumers' personal information, Shanghai's cybersecurity and market regulator announced on Thursday.

The code allows direct payment without collection of personal information and in a process taking just 10 seconds.

The rectification came after the Shanghai Consumer Council found nearly half of 140 shopping malls it inspected had privacy issues when consumers scanned QR codes to pay for parking.

They were found to have required consumers to register for mandatory membership, or asked for personal information, including names and cellphone numbers, when they scanned a code to pay. Some were found to be tricking consumers into following their official WeChat accounts, and some even required consumers to provide WeChat and Alipay information.

A guideline was released by the consumer council to regulate parking fee payment at shopping malls, asking operators to offer simple and clean QR codes that allow consumers to pay parking fees directly.

After around six months of combined measures such as inspection, administrative penalty, law promotion and media exposure, significant progress has been witnessed, authorities said.

Shanghai's cybersecurity authorities said they will order hotels, parks, hospitals and tourist attractions in the city to conduct self-examination and rectification to promote full coverage of the "clean code."