New Chinese cybersecurity law will force Apple to keep data on local servers, aid gov't. searches
The Chinese parliament has officially approved new electronic security legislation, due to go into effect in June 2017, which could force companies like Apple to make changes to how they handle their data infrastructure -- particularly if they're concerned about privacy.
"Critical information infrastructure operators" must now store both personal and business data on Chinese servers, according to the new law, detailed by Reuters. While Apple has been storing some user data on Chinese servers since 2014, the company may now have little choice but to do so.
More seriously, those operators will now have to provide "technical support" to security agencies, and pass security reviews. The law also makes it illegal to use the internet to "damage national unity," providing official cover for pursuing dissidents.
Reuters noted that some of the law's provisions were already effective in practice, but that their codification comes alongside President Xi Jinping instituting a crackdown on groups like the media and civil rights lawyers. The Communist Party has been particularly focused on countering "historical nihilism," defined as rejecting the Communist revolution and/or its inevitability, or criticizing its trajectory.
In August, over 40 global business groups petitioned Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to amend some of the more controversial sections of the law.
The legislation could scare some companies away from doing business in China, but many like Apple may not be willing to sacrifice sales to avoid the hassle and potential violations of customer privacy.
"Critical information infrastructure operators" must now store both personal and business data on Chinese servers, according to the new law, detailed by Reuters. While Apple has been storing some user data on Chinese servers since 2014, the company may now have little choice but to do so.
More seriously, those operators will now have to provide "technical support" to security agencies, and pass security reviews. The law also makes it illegal to use the internet to "damage national unity," providing official cover for pursuing dissidents.
Reuters noted that some of the law's provisions were already effective in practice, but that their codification comes alongside President Xi Jinping instituting a crackdown on groups like the media and civil rights lawyers. The Communist Party has been particularly focused on countering "historical nihilism," defined as rejecting the Communist revolution and/or its inevitability, or criticizing its trajectory.
In August, over 40 global business groups petitioned Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to amend some of the more controversial sections of the law.
The legislation could scare some companies away from doing business in China, but many like Apple may not be willing to sacrifice sales to avoid the hassle and potential violations of customer privacy.
Comments
Difficult and inconsistent to do these things in China, but a substantively different version of them in the U.S.
Cook was prepared to defy the FBI in the US to protect privacy. Let's see how far he'll go in China.
The only way around it would be to abandon China - like Google has done by the way back in 2010. Among the multi-nationals they are the only ones who won't be affected much by these rules because they already paid the cost of losing the Chinese market in 2010.
Apple has always been clear that they follow the laws of the countries in which they operate. In some sense, well duh. But it's important to keep in mind. In countries like the US there are ways to legally challenge the government. But in places like China it's either impossible or much, much harder.