What You Need to Know About Data Protection in Hong Kong

When it comes to data hk, the first thing to know is that the law has strict rules about how personal information is collected, used and processed. It is important to understand how the laws work so that you can avoid any potential violations of these regulations.

Having a firm understanding of the Hong Kong data PDPO laws can help you protect your business from expensive penalties and fines that can be levied by the government if you are found to be non-compliant with the law. The best way to ensure compliance is to hire a data protection officer (DPO) for your company. This person can help you create a system of checks and balances to make sure that your company is following the law.

While the definition of personal data in PDPO is not explicitly defined, the term generally means any information that can identify an individual. This is similar to the definition in other data privacy regimes, including those of the European Economic Area and mainland China. For example, a staff card that exhibits the person’s name, job title, photograph and employee number may constitute personal data under Hong Kong law, provided that it is not displayed together or made available to anyone other than those who need it for the purpose for which it was collected.

Another important point to note is that a data user must expressly inform a data subject on or before the collection of his personal data of the purposes for which the data is to be used, and the classes of persons to whom the personal data is to be transferred. This requirement is less onerous than that under GDPR, which requires such information to be provided in writing. However, this requirement is still a significant step that should be taken by any organization that collects and uses personal information.

It is also a good idea for any organization that plans to transfer personal data outside of Hong Kong to consider conducting a transfer impact assessment. This is a process whereby the data exporter reviews its existing PICS and determines whether or not it has notified its data subjects of the possible purposes for which the personal data will be used in Hong Kong. The data exporter must also review its existing contracts with foreign entities and ensure that any transfer agreements comply with PDPO. If a transfer impact assessment is not carried out, the data exporter could be in violation of section 33 of the PDPO.