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The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data

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 vital role in safeguarding personal data privacy, addressing issues like doxxing and artificial intelligence, and fostering responsible data use across public and private sectors.

The Hospital Authority building in Mong Kok. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hospital Authority apologises for data breach involving 56,000 patients

Privacy watchdog and police investigating after patients’ names, identity card numbers, dates of hospital visits and medical procedures leaked.

4 Apr 2026 - 7:58PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong prison department’s IT system hacked, 6,800 staffers’ data compromised

28 Mar 2026 - 12:21PM

Hong Kong society

More websites, mobile apps for children collecting personal data: study

25 Mar 2026 - 9:23PM

Hong Kong science and tech

Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan

Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent.

16 Mar 2026 - 10:05PM

OpenClaw functions as a proactive assistant – once permissions are granted, it controls applications, organises files, processes emails, sorts data and executes coding workflows. Photo: Getty Images

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong government workers warned not to install OpenClaw due to security risks

Digital Policy Office points to potential risks of AI agent, including unauthorised data access, leakage and system intrusion.

13 Mar 2026 - 10:02PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Personal data stolen in ransomware attack on Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 attraction

Company apologises after breach compromises information about staff, annual pass holders, suppliers and tenants at Ngong Ping Village.

27 Feb 2026 - 10:46PM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong plans to revive privacy law requiring firms to report data breaches

Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung says watchdog intends to consult lawmakers this year after legislative reform was put on hold in 2024.

7 Feb 2026 - 8:00PM

Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung says the mandatory breach reporting measures may be carried out in phases. Photo: Jelly Tse

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong whistle-blower in AI app MediSafe saga arrested for alleged doxxing

Hailey Cheng posts message on social media saying she has been arrested in connection with MediSafe saga, with source confirming news.

6 Feb 2026 - 8:41PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Man arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly doxxing peer in industry chat groups

Both the arrestee, 46, and victim are in the cross-boundary vehicle business.

8 Jan 2026 - 6:14PM

Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | Is your PayMe history public? Hong Kong watchdog probes HSBC app privacy risks

One of Hong Kong’s largest e-payment apps, PayMe serves more than 100,000 local and online merchants, from retail shops to taxis across city.

8 Jan 2026 - 4:33PM

PayMe has 3.2 million users and serves more than 100,000 local and online merchants. Photo: Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong gym’s CCTV by doorless toilet among 200 video surveillance complaints

About 80 per cent of complaints related to disputes between neighbours, Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data reveals.

17 Dec 2025 - 7:59PM

The camera at a branch of a fitness chain was positioned on the ceiling above the door facing three restrooms, one of which was doorless. Photo: Handout

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong launches probe after voters’ personal details posted on social media

Government warns that such acts will not be tolerated, with the Registration and Electoral Office referring case to a law enforcement agency.

21 Nov 2025 - 11:52PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman held for allegedly doxxing ex-classmate over HK$20 million loan

Privacy watchdog says fliers with victim’s name, Hong Kong ID number, address and photos were circulated after she failed to pay interest.

12 Nov 2025 - 8:29PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong man arrested for allegedly posting boss’ personal and debt info online

Former employee, 54, was responsible for managing social media accounts of victim’s company, city’s privacy watchdog reveals.

7 Nov 2025 - 8:53PM

The premises of the Office of Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Wan Chai. Photo: Sun Yeung

Hong Kong science and tech

Hong Kong LinkedIn users urged to check privacy settings as AI training to resume

Professional networking site halted training in late 2024 after city’s privacy watchdog raised concerns about platform’s default opt-in data use.

30 Oct 2025 - 3:15PM

LinkedIn has confirmed it will begin using personal data to train its generative AI models starting on November 3. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong society

Store chain Circle K resumes e-payments in Hong Kong a week after cyberattack

Circle K resumes QR, credit card, contactless payments and account top-ups, but bill payment services, loyalty programme functions still down.

1 Oct 2025 - 3:51PM

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

2 Hong Kong public hospital doctors arrested over patient data leak

Police say associate consultant, 35, and consultant, 57, both from Tseung Kwan O Hospital, arrested in Fo Tan and Ho Man Tin.

1 Sep 2025 - 8:14PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Lowrys Farm owner, My Jewelry slammed as 138,000 Hongkongers hit in data leaks

Privacy commissioner’s office finds local branch of Adastria failed to activate any security measures provided by software supplier.

21 Aug 2025 - 11:08PM

Adastria owns fashion brands such as Lowrys Farm. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

No need to amend law in light of AI porn case, Hong Kong privacy chief says

Existing ordinance covers misuse of personal data in deepfake images, privacy commissioner Ada Chung says.

2 Aug 2025 - 6:50PM

Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong minister calls for stronger moral education after AI porn case at HKU

Christine Choi hopes universities will seize opportunity to teach students how they can meet societal expectations and become future pillars of society.

17 Jul 2025 - 2:43PM

Hong Kong society

‘Scripting error’ at Hong Kong’s HK Express allowed customer to access private data

Case is one of eight data leaks revealed by city’s privacy watchdog, all caused by negligence in following established procedures.

7 Jul 2025 - 8:43PM

Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has revealed eight cases of data leaks, including one involving HK Express, Cathay Pacific Airways’ low-cost subsidiary. Photo: Handout

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The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data

Hospital Authority apologises for data breach involving 56,000 patients

Privacy watchdog and police investigating after patients’ names, identity card numbers, dates of hospital visits and medical procedures leaked.

Hong Kong prison department’s IT system hacked, 6,800 staffers’ data compromised

More websites, mobile apps for children collecting personal data: study

Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan

Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent.

Hong Kong government workers warned not to install OpenClaw due to security risks

Digital Policy Office points to potential risks of AI agent, including unauthorised data access, leakage and system intrusion.

Personal data stolen in ransomware attack on Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 attraction

Company apologises after breach compromises information about staff, annual pass holders, suppliers and tenants at Ngong Ping Village.

Hong Kong plans to revive privacy law requiring firms to report data breaches

Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung says watchdog intends to consult lawmakers this year after legislative reform was put on hold in 2024.

Hong Kong whistle-blower in AI app MediSafe saga arrested for alleged doxxing

Hailey Cheng posts message on social media saying she has been arrested in connection with MediSafe saga, with source confirming news.

Man arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly doxxing peer in industry chat groups

Both the arrestee, 46, and victim are in the cross-boundary vehicle business.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Is your PayMe history public? Hong Kong watchdog probes HSBC app privacy risks

One of Hong Kong’s largest e-payment apps, PayMe serves more than 100,000 local and online merchants, from retail shops to taxis across city.

Hong Kong gym’s CCTV by doorless toilet among 200 video surveillance complaints

About 80 per cent of complaints related to disputes between neighbours, Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data reveals.

Hong Kong launches probe after voters’ personal details posted on social media

Government warns that such acts will not be tolerated, with the Registration and Electoral Office referring case to a law enforcement agency.

Hong Kong woman held for allegedly doxxing ex-classmate over HK$20 million loan

Privacy watchdog says fliers with victim’s name, Hong Kong ID number, address and photos were circulated after she failed to pay interest.

Hong Kong man arrested for allegedly posting boss’ personal and debt info online

Former employee, 54, was responsible for managing social media accounts of victim’s company, city’s privacy watchdog reveals.

Hong Kong LinkedIn users urged to check privacy settings as AI training to resume

Professional networking site halted training in late 2024 after city’s privacy watchdog raised concerns about platform’s default opt-in data use.

Store chain Circle K resumes e-payments in Hong Kong a week after cyberattack

Circle K resumes QR, credit card, contactless payments and account top-ups, but bill payment services, loyalty programme functions still down.

2 Hong Kong public hospital doctors arrested over patient data leak

Police say associate consultant, 35, and consultant, 57, both from Tseung Kwan O Hospital, arrested in Fo Tan and Ho Man Tin.

Lowrys Farm owner, My Jewelry slammed as 138,000 Hongkongers hit in data leaks

Privacy commissioner’s office finds local branch of Adastria failed to activate any security measures provided by software supplier.

No need to amend law in light of AI porn case, Hong Kong privacy chief says

Existing ordinance covers misuse of personal data in deepfake images, privacy commissioner Ada Chung says.

Hong Kong minister calls for stronger moral education after AI porn case at HKU

Christine Choi hopes universities will seize opportunity to teach students how they can meet societal expectations and become future pillars of society.

‘Scripting error’ at Hong Kong’s HK Express allowed customer to access private data

Case is one of eight data leaks revealed by city’s privacy watchdog, all caused by negligence in following established procedures.

Exclusive | Is your PayMe history public? Hong Kong watchdog probes HSBC app privacy risks