A newly approved regulation aiming to put major public places in Beijing under the watchful eye of electronic surveillance cameras has triggered concern about protection of privacy rights.

The regulation says "major and busy public places, governmental bureaus, traffic centers and main infrastructure areas should install Image Information System cameras to monitor and ensure public security."

An official surnamed Zhang with the municipal Office of Legislative Affairs who is in charge of drafting the regulation, told China Daily the goal of the regulation is to ensure public security and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games.

"We are drawing on the experience of developed countries. The terrorists who plotted to attack London's subway were seized quickly because of the advanced camera monitoring system," said Zhang.

"The regulation should set legal boundaries on the information collectors to protect people's privacy. It definitely violates the law if information collectors reveal personal images for no reason," warned Huang Jingshen, lawyer with Beijing-based Jiahua Law Firm.

Huang added that, in any case, the government's administrative power should not violate people's privacy rights.

"I can understand the government's motive. But I don't think they can actually keep the information private," said Liu Yuanyuan, an office worker.

"There are many advanced techniques that people can use to steal information even from ATMs, let alone cameras."

But according to Zhang, the regulation already includes rules aimed at protecting people's privacy.

For instance, the policy bans any information collectors within the system from spreading any personal information.

Only governmental bureaus or police can ask to view the information collected by other units for public security or emergency cases.

Any company or bureau that breaks the rules will be fined up to 30,000 yuan (US$3,750).

The capital city currently has about 263,000 electronic cameras, but only 5.7 percent of them are operated by governmental bureaus, statistics from the city's public security bureau show.

Zhang was not willing to say how many new cameras would be installed, as it is yet to be finalized.

(China Daily December 7, 2006)