China Issues Draft Guidelines On Online Privacy, Announces New Agency To Supervise The Internet

China on February 10, 2011 issued the draft Information Security Technology – Guidelines for Personal Information Protection (the "Guidelines," or the "Draft") for comment. The purpose of the Guidelines, according to the preamble, is to "guide and standardize information-processing activities using information systems" in light of the "increasing use of the Internet and increasingly central role of personal information in social and economic activities." This action indicates the central government's intent to step up its efforts to regulate online data transactions in response to the rapid growth of e-commerce and the slow progress of the long-awaited Personal Information Protection Law (the first draft of which was completed in 2005). In addition, establishment of the State Internet Information Office parallel to the State Council Information Office announced on May 4, 2011 signifies that there will be tighter control of the Internet generally.