Officers look at some of the tools used to steal personal information. [Photo/China News Service]

Personal information－such as an ID number, phone and travel records－is made available to anybody who can provide a smartphone number and who is willing to pay a few hundred yuan in the underground information market. Beijing News comments:

Last December, there were reports that people could purchase personal information for a few hundred yuan as long as they could provide an ID number. Two months have passed and the underground market has "improved" its service: an ID card number is no longer needed, all that is needed is a smartphone number.

From phone call records to travel records, from addresses to bank accounts, almost every piece of personal information has a price and is for sale in the underground market.

Actually, we know who is supposed to safeguard our personal information. Telecommunication companies have our call records, online shopping websites have our addresses, and banks have all the information about our accounts. While we are not suggesting they sold the information they hold, they are responsible for keeping it secure.

We are entering the big data era and our personal information is being collected for analysis like never before. That makes us "naked".

The law says that those profiting from unauthorized exchanges of people's personal information are guilty, but in practice seldom has anyone been held accountable and punished. It is time for the law enforcers to get tough and better protect our personal information.