Integrated Development and Governance of Children’s Data: Protection and Cross-Boundary Coordination in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Abstract

The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is rapidly advancing as a national strategy, with the construction of a “Digital Bay Area” serving as a key catalyst. Intensive cross-boundary population flows and the rapid growth of the digital industry have precipitated large-scale, cross-jurisdictional transfers of children’s personal data.Despite geographical proximity, the unique reality of “one country, two systems, and three legal jurisdictions” gives rise to systemic disparities in the protection of children’s personal data across the three regions. This context necessitates the establishment of robust coordination mechanisms to balance the imperative of cross-boundary data flow with the need for child protection during the Digital Bay Area’s development. Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of the scenarios and entities involved in the GBA’s cross-jurisdictional processing of children’s data, this paper undertakes a comparative study of the three regions across multiple dimensions, including legislation, administrative supervision, and remedies for rights infringement. Ultimately, the study delineates the disparities in cross-jurisdictional data transfer and children’s data protection, offering actionable perspectives on bridging these gaps and establishing collaborative mechanisms to underpin the GBA’s integrated development.