Western business executives are feeling the effects of China’s data-security laws, which have caused concern and confusion. One executive, who wishes to remain anonymous due to an ongoing case, was stopped from boarding a flight to Singapore in 2019 after an Interpol “red notice” was issued on his name. His company had entered China in 2012 and began working with state-owned firms to create advertising products using telecoms data. However, in 2014, the Chinese government announced that data security was a national-security concern, and the offices of the executive’s firm were raided. Local staff were detained, and the executive was accused of “illegally obtaining a substantial amount of private information of Chinese citizens in the name of ‘targeted advertising'”. The executive was never able to learn the specifics of the charges and is still facing legal action. The incident highlights the challenges faced by Western businesses operating in China, where data-security laws are increasingly strict.
2023-05-04 08:07:10
Original from www.economist.com