https://www.scmp.com/rss/521816/feed The latest news and top stories on The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data. A prominent Hong Kong-based independent statutory body, the PCPD is dedicated to securing individual privacy regarding personal data. Established in 1996, its primary mission involves overseeing and enforcing the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Key activities include promoting public awareness, providing guidance on data protection, investigating complaints and enforcing compliance. The PCPD plays a... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The growing use of social media and artificial intelligence chatbots across generations has made privacy protection a priority. This is especially important for children who are often insensitive to the risks when navigating the vast online world. The onus is therefore on parents and teachers to provide proper guidance. The guidelines issued by the Privacy Commissioner to safeguard the privacy of youngsters are a timely step. The practical tips suggest parents and teachers take an interest in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3351557/online-privacy-guidelines-underscore-key-role-parents-and-teachers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3351557/online-privacy-guidelines-underscore-key-role-parents-and-teachers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun A data breach at Yau Yat Chuen Garden City Club has compromised the personal information of more than 9,000 people, Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has found, urging organisations to review security measures and update software to close loopholes. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data on Thursday also released a guide for parents and teachers to safeguard children’s online privacy amid increasing risks facing youngsters online. Revealing the data breach, Privacy Commissioner for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351143/personal-info-9045-people-compromised-hong-kong-private-club-data-breach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351143/personal-info-9045-people-compromised-hong-kong-private-club-data-breach?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:41:48 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Clashes over the screening of a controversial, award-winning Hong Kong coming-of-age documentary at an Italian film festival have escalated, with the director accusing the secondary school at the centre of the dispute of “blatantly lying” about the arrangement for the showing. Acclaimed filmmaker Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting slammed Ying Wa Girls’ School over the documentary’s screening in Udine, expressing shock and “intolerable” disappointment after her alma mater distanced itself from To My... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349580/filmmaker-accuses-school-blatantly-lying-row-over-documentary-screening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349580/filmmaker-accuses-school-blatantly-lying-row-over-documentary-screening?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:51:56 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Innovation and technology are key drivers of economic growth and quality of life in Hong Kong. Efforts to make the city an international hub for those sectors have recently been undermined by worrying data breaches. Authorities and organisations handling public data must strengthen digital defences against hacking and mishandling. The latest incident involved the leak of data related to more than 56,000 patients and 1,000 staff members connected with Hospital Authority institutions in Kowloon... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349485/breaches-reveal-worrying-gaps-hong-kongs-data-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349485/breaches-reveal-worrying-gaps-hong-kongs-data-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong police have arrested an employee of a systems maintenance contractor hired by the Hospital Authority on suspicion of stealing the personal data of more than 56,000 patients and 1,000 staff members. The arrest of a 30-year-old local man came just days after the authority reported on Saturday a suspected data leak involving patients in the Kowloon East group of hospitals on a third‑party platform, with police and the privacy watchdog investigating. Police revealed on Wednesday that more... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349378/police-arrest-man-suspicion-stealing-personal-data-56000-patients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349378/police-arrest-man-suspicion-stealing-personal-data-56000-patients?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:57:48 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog and police are investigating a large-scale data leak involving more than 56,000 patients served by the Hospital Authority, which reported the unauthorised retrieval of a variety of information. The authority on Saturday apologised to affected victims – patients of hospitals in Kowloon East – for the breach that compromised their names, identity card numbers, genders, dates of birth, dates of hospital visits and details of surgical procedures, among other... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349020/probe-launched-after-hospital-authority-data-breach-involving-56000-patients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349020/probe-launched-after-hospital-authority-data-breach-involving-56000-patients?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:55:14 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam A computer system containing Hong Kong prison employees’ personal data has been hacked, compromising the information of 6,800 current and former staffers. The Correctional Services Department said on Friday evening that a hacker had gained illegal access to one of its IT systems on Tuesday. “After a preliminary investigation, the Correctional Services Department believes the incident involved unauthorised access to the internal Knowledge Management System by a hacker, through which the hacker... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348230/hong-kong-prison-departments-it-system-hacked-6800-employees-data-compromised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348230/hong-kong-prison-departments-it-system-hacked-6800-employees-data-compromised?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:21:33 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung A global investigation involving Hong Kong authorities has found that more websites and mobile apps designed for children are collecting personal data – ranging from phone numbers to addresses – than they did about a decade ago. The 2025 Global Privacy Enforcement Network Sweep, which included the participation of Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, examined 876 websites and mobile apps specifically designed for children across multiple sectors in early November,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347829/more-websites-mobile-apps-children-collecting-personal-data-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347829/more-websites-mobile-apps-children-collecting-personal-data-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:55:50 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee”, saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed a recent Digital Policy Office advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns. “AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:02:37 +0000 Kevin Li Kevin Li Hong Kong authorities have asked all government units not to install OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns, days after some mainland Chinese entities were reported to have restricted the use of the AI agent. The government’s Digital Policy Office (DPO) told the South China Morning Post on Friday that while no related security incidents had been reported, it noted the potential risks of the use of the artificial intelligence agent, including unauthorised data access, leakage and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346552/hong-kong-government-workers-warned-not-install-openclaw-due-security-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346552/hong-kong-government-workers-warned-not-install-openclaw-due-security-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:20:43 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing The operator of Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 cable car attraction has apologised after the personal data of visitors and employees was stolen in a ransomware attack. The company on Thursday detected irregularities in its internal network system and alerted police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data. “Subsequent investigation confirmed that certain data had been stolen and the company was subjected to a ransom demand,” the operator said on Friday. “Ngong Ping 360 deeply... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344932/personal-data-stolen-ransomware-attack-hong-kongs-ngong-ping-360-attraction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344932/personal-data-stolen-ransomware-attack-hong-kongs-ngong-ping-360-attraction?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:45:40 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog plans to consult lawmakers this year about introducing mandatory data breach reporting and related penalties, the body’s chief has said. Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Ada Chung Lai-ling on Saturday revealed details about the proposed legislative amendments to the city’s privacy ordinance, after authorities stalled the plan in 2024 over concerns the measures could hurt the local business environment. “We really hope that we have some specific recommendations... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342754/hong-kong-plans-revive-privacy-law-mandating-firms-report-data-breaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342754/hong-kong-plans-revive-privacy-law-mandating-firms-report-data-breaches?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 07:18:01 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma The whistle-blower behind a suspected cheating scandal involving an award-winning medical prescription app developed by a student has been arrested for doxxing. Hailey Cheng Hei-lam posted a short message on her social media accounts on Friday morning, saying she had been arrested in connection with the MediSafe saga. The posts included a photo showing a Notice to Arrested Persons with her birth name. “Due to legal and procedural considerations, at this stage I will not be able to make any... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342626/hong-kong-whistle-blower-ai-app-medisafe-saga-arrested-alleged-doxxing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342626/hong-kong-whistle-blower-ai-app-medisafe-saga-arrested-alleged-doxxing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 06:50:42 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong A man in Hong Kong has been arrested for allegedly exposing an industry peer’s identity card information and signature across trade chat groups without the victim’s consent. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) said on Thursday that a 46-year-old man had been arrested in the New Territories on suspicion of doxxing. The victim works in the cross-boundary vehicle business, handling tasks such as leasing vehicles and licence applications for customers. “In late November... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339197/man-arrested-hong-kong-allegedly-doxxing-peer-industry-chat-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339197/man-arrested-hong-kong-allegedly-doxxing-peer-industry-chat-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:12:27 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog is investigating risks to early users of HSBC’s popular PayMe mobile app after the Post discovered some remain unaware their personal details may have been exposed. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) told the Post on Monday that the compliance review would “look into all relevant issues, including the vulnerability of legacy users and the need for in-app prompts”. The watchdog said the bank must ensure the highest level of privacy... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339086/privacy-risks-early-users-payme-mobile-wallet-app-probed-hong-kong-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339086/privacy-risks-early-users-payme-mobile-wallet-app-probed-hong-kong-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:30:30 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin A Hong Kong fitness chain was cautioned by the city’s privacy watchdog after it installed a CCTV camera facing a men’s bathroom missing a door, one of about 200 complaints involving video surveillance this year. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data on Wednesday also revealed that it had received 1,166 inquiries of the same nature over the same period, prompting it to issue guidelines on CCTV usage in October. About 80 per cent of the complaints were related to disputes... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336796/hong-kong-gyms-cctv-doorless-toilet-among-200-surveillance-complaints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336796/hong-kong-gyms-cctv-doorless-toilet-among-200-surveillance-complaints?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:30:19 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities have launched an investigation after the personal details of “some voters were uploaded to a social media platform” ahead of the Legislative Council election next month, with the government strongly condemning the act. The government said that following the discovery on Friday, the Registration and Electoral Office had referred the case to a law enforcement agency, which was conducting a thorough investigation. “The [Hong Kong] government strongly condemns the illegal act... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3333758/hong-kong-launches-probe-after-voters-personal-details-posted-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3333758/hong-kong-launches-probe-after-voters-personal-details-posted-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:52:58 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft A 60-year-old woman has been arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly disclosing the personal details of a former schoolmate who borrowed around HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) but later stopped paying interest, according to the city’s privacy watchdog. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said on Wednesday that the incident stemmed from a dispute over a loan in 2018 when the victim, a woman, was facing financial difficulties while operating a factory. The pair, who had known each... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3332466/woman-60-arrested-hong-kong-doxxing-ex-schoolmate-over-hk20-million-loan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3332466/woman-60-arrested-hong-kong-doxxing-ex-schoolmate-over-hk20-million-loan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A Hong Kong man has been arrested for allegedly disclosing his boss’ personal data and debt details on the internet without his consent, according to the city’s privacy watchdog. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data revealed on Friday that the 54-year-old suspect, a former employee at the victim’s company, was responsible for managing its social media accounts between November 2023 and May 2024. The man was an “administrator of a number of chat groups created by the company... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331970/hong-kong-man-arrested-allegedly-posting-boss-personal-data-debt-details-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331970/hong-kong-man-arrested-allegedly-posting-boss-personal-data-debt-details-online?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:33:39 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has urged LinkedIn users to review their settings on the platform, as the professional networking giant is set to resume using their personal data to train generative artificial intelligence models starting from Monday next week. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data issued the reminder on Thursday, saying LinkedIn had confirmed it would begin using personal data to train its generative AI models starting on November 3. The updated policy will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3330868/hong-kong-linkedin-users-urged-check-privacy-settings-ai-training-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3330868/hong-kong-linkedin-users-urged-check-privacy-settings-ai-training-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:31:33 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying The Circle K convenience store chain in Hong Kong has resumed digital payment services after suspending them for more than a week due to a cyberattack, but bill payment services and loyalty programme functions remain unavailable. Circle K Hong Kong, which operates nearly 400 outlets in the city, said on Tuesday evening that its stores had resumed QR code, credit card and contactless payments. Top-up services such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Octopus were also now available, it added. However, EPS... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3327482/store-chain-circle-k-resumes-e-payments-hong-kong-week-after-cyberattack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3327482/store-chain-circle-k-resumes-e-payments-hong-kong-week-after-cyberattack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 06:08:31 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,Ambrose Li,Danny Mok Elizabeth Cheung,Ambrose Li,Danny Mok Two public hospital doctors have been arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly accessing computers with criminal or dishonest intent as part of a suspected data leak. Police Superintendent Wong Yick-lung said on Monday that a 35-year-old associate consultant and a 57-year-old consultant, both from Tseung Kwan O Hospital, were arrested a day earlier in Fo Tan and Ho Man Tin, respectively. Officers confiscated computers and other electronic devices as part of the investigation, with the pair remaining... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3323850/2-hong-kong-public-hospital-doctors-arrested-over-patient-data-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3323850/2-hong-kong-public-hospital-doctors-arrested-over-patient-data-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 01:19:31 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has ruled that three retail firms, including a branch of a Japanese multinational company that owns fashion brands Lowrys Farm and “Niko and…”, violated data protection rules in two cybersecurity breaches that compromised the private information of more than 138,000 people. Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Ada Chung Lai-ling said on Thursday that investigations by her office discovered that Japanese retailer Adastria had failed to activate any security measures... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322681/lowrys-farm-owner-my-jewlery-slammed-138000-hongkongers-hit-data-leaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322681/lowrys-farm-owner-my-jewlery-slammed-138000-hongkongers-hit-data-leaks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:35:56 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing The head of Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has said there is no immediate need to amend the law to specifically target the creation of AI-generated deepfake pornography, stressing that existing legislation is sufficient to handle offences. In her most detailed comments following a recent high-profile case at the University of Hong Kong, Ada Chung Lai-ling said on Saturday that because the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance was “principle-based” and “technology-neutral”, it applied to the misuse of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320545/no-need-amend-law-light-ai-porn-case-hong-kong-privacy-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320545/no-need-amend-law-light-ai-porn-case-hong-kong-privacy-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 10:50:31 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung Hong Kong universities should put more effort into instilling values and moral education among students, a minister has said, after an undergraduate was accused of using AI to generate pornographic images of his classmates and other women. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin made her remarks on Wednesday, a day after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data launched a criminal investigation into the law student, who had only received a warning from the University of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3318410/hong-kong-minister-calls-stronger-moral-education-after-ai-porn-case-hku?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3318410/hong-kong-minister-calls-stronger-moral-education-after-ai-porn-case-hku?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:19:25 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu HK Express, the budget carrier of Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways, mistakenly directed a customer to log into another’s account due to a “scripting error”, enabling him to access the other person’s personal information including birth date, according to investigations by the privacy watchdog. That case and seven others revealed on Monday by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data included one involving CJ Plus Insurance, which sent documents printed on recycled paper that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317227/scripting-error-hong-kongs-hk-express-led-access-private-information?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317227/scripting-error-hong-kongs-hk-express-led-access-private-information?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:14:40 +0000