Core Points - The case involving the software "Xiao Wang Shen" highlights the issue of unfair competition in the e-commerce sector, leading to a court ruling that ordered the defendants to pay 30 million yuan for their actions [1][4][6] - The ruling clarifies the legal boundaries of data rights protection in the digital economy, addressing the gray area of data scraping and its implications for data security and privacy [1][7] Group 1: Case Background - "Xiao Wang Shen" software gained popularity for its features that allowed users to easily access competitors' sales data and download product images, which were deemed as unfair competitive practices [1][3] - The software operated by reverse-engineering the data protection algorithms of a legitimate e-commerce analytics tool, "Shengyi Canmou," effectively restoring sensitive data that should have been protected [3][4] Group 2: Legal Proceedings - The e-commerce platform filed a lawsuit against the developers of "Xiao Wang Shen" in November 2023, focusing on whether the platform had rights to its commercial secrets and data, and if the defendants engaged in unfair competition [4][5] - The court determined that while some data could be classified as commercial secrets, the broader collection of data created through user authorization also warranted protection under unfair competition laws [5][6] Group 3: Court Ruling and Implications - The court ruled that "Xiao Wang Shen" violated data rights by undermining the competitive advantage of the legitimate analytics tool, leading to a significant loss of revenue for the e-commerce platform [5][6] - The ruling established a layered protection system for data rights, distinguishing between commercial secrets, competitive rights over public data, and the original data based on collection legality [7][8] Group 4: Industry Impact - Following the ruling, the companies involved in "Xiao Wang Shen" began to dissolve operations and delete data, indicating a significant shift in the operational landscape of data scraping in e-commerce [7] - The case aligns with national policies aimed at enhancing data rights protection, as new amendments to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law were introduced to prohibit the improper acquisition and use of legitimate data [8]