TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Highway Bureau (公路局) launched an investigation into iRent on Wednesday (Jan. 8) after allegations emerged that the rental company collected excessive personal data from customers. This probe aims to determine if iRent violated personal data protection and consumer protection laws.
The Consumers' Foundation, Chinese Taipei (消基會) held a press conference a day earlier to raise concerns about iRent's data collection practices. They claimed the rental terms required customers to provide not only their names, phone numbers, and driver's licenses but also spousal information.
The foundation argued that consumers faced a unilateral agreement from iRent, potentially breaching legal standards. It also highlighted that iRent mandates acceptance of these terms to become a member and complete rental procedures, labeling this as a high-handed approach. The information required on the app exceeds necessary rental data, conflicting with principles of equality and reciprocity, it noted.
In response, the Highway Bureau stated it tasked the Taipei City Motor Vehicles Office (台北市區監理所) with conducting an administrative inspection. The inspection team, comprising transportation management, ethics, and information personnel, collaborated with the bureau's information office and Da Vinci Personal Data and High-tech Law Firm (達文西個資暨高科技法律事務所). They aim to verify if iRent's practices breach the "Personal Data Protection Act" (個資法) or the "Consumer Protection Act" (消保法).