Hong Kong woman arrested for allegedly doxxing husband’s former lover
- Wife allegedly posted personal details of husband’s former lover on social media along with negative comments and allegations
- Privacy watchdog reminds the public that doxxing is a serious offence and is punishable by up to five years in jail and HK$1 million fine
Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has arrested a local resident for allegedly disclosing the personal details of her husband’s former lover on social media.
The 35-year-old woman was detained on Thursday following an investigation by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data.
Her husband and the victim developed a close relationship between 2019 and 2021, after which the victim exposed the relationship to the wife, according to the office.
“Subsequently, three messages containing the personal data of the victim were posted in a chat group on a social media platform between November 2021 and May 2022, alongside some negative comments and allegations against her,” the privacy watchdog said on Thursday.
“The personal data disclosed included the victim’s Chinese name, English name, alias, year of birth, area of residence, area of work, as well as her occupation and photos.”
The woman was arrested on Thursday morning on suspicion of disclosing the personal data of an individual without her consent, also known as doxxing, under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. She was later released on bail. The investigation is still under way.
The watchdog reminded the public that “doxxing is a serious offence” and is punishable by up to five years in jail and a HK$1 million (US$128,399) fine, adding that the ordinance “applies equally to the online world”.