People’s Republic of China Passes the Data Security Law: A Summary of What We Know

Kim Peretti, Lance Taubin, and Emily Poole of Alston & Bird write: On June 10, 2021, almost exactly three years after the passing of its Cybersecurity Law (CSL), the National People’s Congress of China passed a new Data Security Law (DSL) (click here for an unofficial English translation of the DSL), which goes into effect September 1, 2021. Where the CSL is primarily focused on cybersecurity for Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) operators and network operators, the DSL was promulgated in order to regulate data processing activities,  promote data security, protect the lawful rights and interest of individuals and organizations, and safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. (Article 1). The scope of the DSL is quite broad, and without clarifying regulations or guidance, the law lacks significant detail on how companies should comply, leaving many open questions in advance of the September 2021 effective date.  While it is expected that the relevant authorities in China will issue guidance and formulate certain corresponding regulations, it is clear that given the sweeping scope and broad territorial reach of the DSL, the DSL may have far-reaching implications for many companies. Read more on Privacy, Cyber & Data Strategy Blog.DataBreaches.netRead More