In one of the biggest online leaks of personal data in the country, sensitive information about dozens of Communist Party officials and Chinese tycoons have been revealed publicly via Twitter, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
A Twitter account named "Shenfenzheng," which has been frozen since the leak, posted personal information of prominent figures in China's government, technology and banking industry.
The data included ID cards and residential addresses. SCMP noted that at least two of the ID cards posted were proven to be authentic. Nonetheless, many of the tweets have been swiftly deleted.
The incident mirrors China's difficulty "in policing the spread of information within its borders," the article said, adding that this happened despite the government's rigid Internet controls.
The report also noted the country's susceptibility to such privacy leaks, which are also common in other countries.
According to Twitter user Shenfenzheng, which literally translates as "personal ID," the leak was made to show how personal data--even those from the country's most popular figures--can be accessed via black-market channels.
"It's easy to figure out anybody's information, whether you're a government official or a celebrity," Shenfenzheng tweeted. "Getting the common people's data is like buying cabbage."
"Are you surprised at all this information? I hope this encourages the nation's scrutiny, and shows how worthless individual data is in China," the user further posted.
If all the leaked data were proven to be accurate, they can be used to infiltrate bank accounts and social media. The information can also be utilized to embarrass government agencies mandated to safeguard personal data.
The public security ministry did not respond for a comment, SCMP wrote.
Some of the victims of the leak include Alibaba chairman Jack Ma, Xiaomi co-founder Lei Jun, Tencent chairman Ma Huateng, Dalian Wanda founder Wang Jianlin and a governor of a major province.
In China, leaking of personal data is punishable by fines and up to three years of imprisonment.