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TechPolicy

Beijing police bust firm stealing data from live-streaming e-commerce apps as China boosts personal information protection under new law

  • Chinese data analysis firm Pangqiu was caught illegally using crawler software to siphon data from live-streaming apps
  • Following the police action, live-streaming e-commerce influencer Austin Li Jiaqi denied allegations of data manipulation with the aid of firms like Pangqiu

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Saleswomen use live-streamed marketing campaigns to help drive demand for cosmetic products at a shopping centre in northern China’s Hebei province. Photo: Xinhua
Jane Zhang
Police in Beijing have busted a data analysis company, which ranks Chinese online influencers in sales performance, for illegally using crawler software to steal data from live-streaming apps, ahead of the roll-out on Monday of the country’s new Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL).
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The office of data analysis firm Pangqiu, which means “Fat Ball” in Mandarin, was raided by the police on September 15 and some 23 employees were arrested for “illegal acquisition of computer information system data”, according to a police statement and media reports late last month. The Beijing Public Security Bureau did not directly identify Pangqiu, but a Chinese state television report showed the company’s logo and company name.

The police investigation found that Pangqiu sold live-streaming data captured by crawler software, which is used to create entries for a search engine index. The website and WeChat account of the firm, which made more than 400,000 yuan (US$6,243) from its illegal activity, have been inactive since September, according to an online check by the South China Morning Post. Pangqiu could not be reached for comment.
Following that police action, China’s top live-streaming e-commerce influencer Austin Li Jiaqi, also known as the “King of Lipsticks”, on Sunday denied allegations of providing fake traffic numbers and using data manipulation with the aid of firms like Pangqiu.
Austin Li Jiaqi last month sold US$1.9 billion worth of goods on the first day of Alibaba Group Holding’s presales campaign for its annual Singles’ Day shopping festival this November. Photo: Youku
Austin Li Jiaqi last month sold US$1.9 billion worth of goods on the first day of Alibaba Group Holding’s presales campaign for its annual Singles’ Day shopping festival this November. Photo: Youku
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Li said his own company follows strict data management measures and that it never took part in any manipulation of information related to online sales rankings, according to his company’s post on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo.
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