Data stored on work computer may receive privacy protection - International Law Office

According to media reports, a local people's court in Beijing's Daxing District announced during trial that a company had violated an employee's privacy rights when it copied personal photos and other personal data that the employee had saved on her work computer. The court reportedly pressured the company to reach a settlement agreement with the employee to destroy the copied data and pay Rmb20,000 for emotional damages.

While the status of employee information on company computers and electronic systems is ambiguous under the law, this case shows that personal data stored on work computers may receive privacy protection.

For further information on this topic please contact Andreas Lauffs or Jonathan Isaacs at Baker & McKenzie's Hong Kong office by telephone (+852 2846 1888), fax (+852 2845 0476) or email (andreas.lauffs@bakernet.com or jonathan.isaacs@bakernet.com).