A five-minute primer on an issue making headlines
Lawmakers are worried their private conversations may be enjoying a wider audience than intended, and have called on the government to investigate whether they are under surveillance.
How does bugging work?
It is surprisingly easy to tap someone's phone. The simplest method is to put a transmitter in the telephone socket and record conversations. For video surveillance, pinhole cameras are widely available. There may even be hidden cameras at your workplace - there are no laws against this.
With satellite tracking systems, surveillance can get really intrusive. Surely we have privacy rights?
Yes, we do. The Basic Law gives us the right to privacy, but also says authorities can infringe this where serious crime or threats to public security are concerned. There are no laws in Hong Kong protecting people against being monitored.
Who's monitoring those who monitor us?