All over the world states and companies have intensified their collection of personal information... more All over the world states and companies have intensified their collection of personal information. Under conditions of rapid digitalization and light regulation in China, government and company data collection has also expanded rapidly. This pronounced exposure of citizens' personal information has the potential to provoke substantial privacy concerns among the public. So far, however, little is known about distinctions individuals make between privacy concerns vis-à-vis government and the private sector. Privacy concerns in China are not yet broadly researched. Drawing on an original online survey from 2019 (N = 1,500), this study explores the magnitudes as well as the structural and ideological roots of concerns about government and company data collection in China. It finds that concerns about data collection by government are low, albeit elevated among individuals who are ideologically not aligned with the state. By contrast, concerns over data collection by companies are both extensive and consensual across most socio-structural and ideological differences. The integration of state and commercial personal information does not multiply concerns, suggesting that the Chinese state is perceived as a safety device for, rather than a threat to, citizens' personal information.
All over the world states and companies have intensified their collection of personal information... more All over the world states and companies have intensified their collection of personal information. Under conditions of rapid digitalization and light regulation in China, government and company data collection has also expanded rapidly. This pronounced exposure of citizens' personal information has the potential to provoke substantial privacy concerns among the public. So far, however, little is known about distinctions individuals make between privacy concerns vis-à-vis government and the private sector. Privacy concerns in China are not yet broadly researched. Drawing on an original online survey from 2019 (N = 1,500), this study explores the magnitudes as well as the structural and ideological roots of concerns about government and company data collection in China. It finds that concerns about data collection by government are low, albeit elevated among individuals who are ideologically not aligned with the state. By contrast, concerns over data collection by companies are both extensive and consensual across most socio-structural and ideological differences. The integration of state and commercial personal information does not multiply concerns, suggesting that the Chinese state is perceived as a safety device for, rather than a threat to, citizens' personal information.
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