Chinese tech giant Baidu has denied allegations of an internal data breach following accusations that the teenage daughter of Baidu’s vice president, Xie Guangjun, shared personal information of other users online.
The controversy erupted after users claimed that the teenager had posted phone numbers and personal data during an online argument. In response, Baidu stated that its employees and executives do not have access to user data and suggested the leaked information came from illegal “doxing databases” on foreign platforms.
Baidu’s Response
- The company has filed a police report to investigate the spread of false information.
- Baidu emphasized its strict data protection policies and denied any internal breach.
- Xie Guangjun issued a public apology, clarifying that his daughter had obtained the information from foreign social networking sites.
Market Impact
The controversy had an immediate impact on Baidu’s market performance, with the company’s shares falling over 4% during Thursday morning trading in Hong Kong.
Broader Context
China has ramped up its efforts to enforce comprehensive data privacy laws to counter unauthorized data sales. The incident has reignited discussions around data security and the responsibilities of tech executives in safeguarding user information.
Authorities are expected to closely monitor the situation as Baidu seeks to contain the reputational damage and reassure stakeholders about its data protection measures.
