Personal data breach caused by apps a serious problem: survey

A recent survey shows that over 80 percent of interviewees have experienced a personal data breach while installing and using smartphone apps.

The online survey, conducted by the China Consumers' Association, received 5,458 valid responses. Of these, 85 percent of respondents reported experiencing a personal data breach.

The most common problems that respondents said followed a data breach were sales calls, harassing text messages, and spam mail. About one-third of the respondents said that the steps they took to resolve problems that followed the data breach were ineffective.

The survey found that unauthorized collection of personal data by app operators was the main cause of personal data breaches. In the first half of this year, online shopping platforms and social network sites have become new hot spots for complaints, said the China Consumers' Association.

The China Consumers' Association has advised consumers to be more active in protecting their personal data. It has also called on authorities to more closely supervise app service providers, and for companies selling personal data without consent to be severely punished.

Breaches of personal data have been making headlines in China recently.

On Wednesday, Shanghai police said they have launched an investigation into an alleged data breach by Huazhu Group, one of China's largest hotel operators. Nearly 500 million pieces of customer information was leaked online.

The same day, police in Zhejiang Province claim to have uncovered the theft of three billion pieces of personal data, including from the country's major telecommunication service providers.