China has the most restrictions on cross-border data flows, says Washington think tank
- Keeping data within borders, a growing trend among countries around the world, hurts economies, Washington think tank ITIF argues in report
- The report says that China is the most data restrictive country in the world, with 29 data localisation policies
China, with 29 data localisation policies, is the most restrictive country when it comes to cross-border data flows, according to a report by Washington-based think tank Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).
While keeping data stored domestically is becoming a trend among governments around the world, the effort is “self-defeating” as restricting data flows would damage economies by inhibiting trade, lowering productivity and raising prices for downstream industries, the report said.
The think-tank also recommends a “Geneva Convention for Data” between US and its allies such as Canada, the UK and Japan, as a common framework for data-sharing, excluding data-restrictive countries such as China, Russia, and the European Union.