More complaints than ever – use of personal data biggest source of gripes to Hong Kong’s privacy commissioner
Watchdog swamped with 16 per cent increase in complaints, as office admits it cannot keep track of how information is used online
The privacy watchdog received a record number of complaints last year, with most related to the collection and use of personal data.
A total of 1,971 complaints were filed to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data – a rise of 16 per cent on 2014.
They were mainly directed at the private sector, such as companies in the financial sector, property management and telecommunications.
“We found that in many cases the personal data being collected is then used for direct marketing and the promotion of products and services,” Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Stephen Wong Kai-yi said.
Of 322 complaints about direct marketing, 28 cases were subsequently referred to the police for investigation and six ended up in court.
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On the large difference between the number of complaints received and those referred to the police, the office said this was not due to difficulties in collecting evidence and enforcing the law – most cases did not involve law enforcement.