Speech by SCMA at 57th Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities Forum (English only)(with photo)
12.7.2022

Following is the video speech by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, at the 57th Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) Forum today (July 12): Commissioner McEvoy (Chair of the APPA Governance Committee/Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada, Mr Michael McEvoy), Commissioner Chung (Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Ms Ada Chung), APPA (Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities) members, ladies and gentlemen, It's my great pleasure to speak to all of you at the 57th Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities forum. While the pandemic does not allow me to personally greet each of you here in person, please allow me to express my warm welcome to all the Privacy or Information Commissioners, data protection authorities and guests for joining us online today. APPA is one of the leading platforms in the region for privacy and data protection authorities to form partnerships and exchange ideas about privacy laws and new technologies affecting privacy. This year, the pandemic has again restricted our APPA forum to a virtual event. This shows how the pandemic has sped up the way we use new technologies to conduct our business. Technological trends in remote work, e-commerce and social media, etc are on the rise and has not only changed the privacy landscape but also presented new challenges to personal data privacy. I am delighted that today's APPA Forum has chosen "Privacy Issues Arising from Emerging Technologies and the Regulatory Roadmaps" as its main theme for panel discussion. I am sure APPA members will share their valuable experience and insights in addressing the privacy challenges arising from emerging new technologies. Commissioner Chung will be leading the Panel Discussion together with data protection authorities in Australia, Canada, Japan and the UK (United Kingdom). While new technologies have greatly facilitated information exchange, unfortunately some individuals have used them to weaponise personal data. Recently, Hong Kong faced mass scale doxxing acts that intruded into personal data privacy. Doxxers hid their identity on the Internet to maliciously or recklessly spread around the personal data of other persons. These doxxing acts create a chilling effect in the society and discourage open expression of views. In response, we amended our privacy legislation to combat such doxxing acts by empowering our Privacy Commissioner to carry out criminal investigations, prosecute doxxing-related offences and issue cessation notices to request the removal of doxxing messages. With the new anti-doxxing law up and running, the rights of people to personal data privacy are being increasingly appreciated. Apart from doxxing, we are also conducting a review of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance of Hong Kong with a view to enhancing the protection of personal data privacy for individuals in Hong Kong. We will make reference to the privacy protection laws in other jurisdictions and take into account Hong Kong's actual situation when considering possible amendments. Speaking of Hong Kong, the year 2022 marks an important milestone as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The anniversary's theme of "A New Era - Stability. Prosperity. Opportunity" shows that Hong Kong will continue to make full use of its unique strengths under the "one country, two systems" principle. In particular, our country's 14th Five-Year Plan fully supports the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub. The use and management of data will no doubt play an important role, and we will continue to look to APPA as well as other global and regional privacy forums for insights and co-operation. To conclude, I would congratulate the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, especially Commissioner Chung and her colleagues, for hosting the APPA Forum. I wish the event every success, and I welcome you all to pay a visit to Hong Kong in the future. Thank you.