THE GUANGDONG provincial legal affairs authorities have solicited public opinions on its planned legislation to ban close-circuit TV cameras in hotel rooms, dormitories, public toilets and other places where individuals' privacy should not be breached. China Youth Daily commented on Wednesday:

Why a law to ban cameras in such places until now? They should have been there in the first place. But in China it is necessary to write it down in law.

More importantly, is there a national law to regulate the use of cameras in public places?