Didi Global, a Chinese ride-sharing operator, has been fined roughly $1.18 billion for allegedly breaching China’s cybersecurity and data security laws due to collection of passenger data. According to the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Didi Global violated the country’s data security laws via 16 illegal practices. The practices may have also been in violation of the Personal Information Protection Law, according to China Daily. The CAC alleges that Didi illegally collected users’ personal data, including facial recognition details, photos, and messages. The company’s CEO and President were each fined $148,070 on top of the company fine in accordance with the regulations.
On Thursday, the ride sharing operator took to Weibo to acknowledge the government’s decision and confirm that it would comply with the fines. The company also stated that it would conduct an internal assessment in cooperation with the CAC in order to alter its personal security, data security, and cybersecurity measures to be in accordance with the regulations. The announcement comes a year after the CAC began a probe into the company’s cybersecurity practices. In July 2021, the company was forced to remove its app from local app stores due to the data collection practices. Last month, the company delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
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