Data privacy in Hong Kong is a topic worth discussing for anyone wishing to make informed decisions regarding their personal information. The Personal Data Protection Ordinance (PDPO) sets forth strict regulations on how companies may utilize personal data; failing to adhere could incur fines up to HK $50,000 – consulting with a privacy consultant can help your avoid penalties while staying compliant with regulations set out by PDPO.

Hong Kong’s Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, commonly referred to as the PDPO, regulates how businesses can use personal data in their operations. If you intend on doing business in Hong Kong, it is crucial that you fully comprehend its implications for your operations and what its rules entail for your venture.

What is the definition of personal data under PDPO?

Under PDPO, personal data refers to any information related to an identifiable individual that can be used to identify them; this could include names, addresses, email addresses, dates of birth and bank details as well as pseudonymous data such as IP addresses or location data and cookies.

PDPO applies to any organization collecting or processing the personal data of individuals in Hong Kong, including businesses that collect from customers, vendors or any individual residing there. Under its provisions, businesses must adopt clear policies on how they will handle personal data collected for their operations and only collect what data is necessary to fulfill these purposes.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data is responsible for administering and enforcing the PDPO. As part of this task, they have issued various guidance documents designed to assist businesses comply with its provisions – these guides can be found on their website.

Additionally, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has established a hotline to assist individuals who have questions regarding PDPO enforcement and implementation. For assistance please call +852 2847 5555.

The Personal Data Protection Ordinance was recently revised in 2021 to create a two-tiered offense for sharing personal data without consent and to introduce anti-doxxing provisions, further necessitating Hong Kong-based businesses to adopt clear data management policies and strong consent management practices to keep their data protected from prying eyes. For more information about the PDPO or how you can safeguard it with Captain Compliance’s privacy consultancy services.