Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is joining forces with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data to launch "Privacy Special", the very first TV drama exploring personal privacy issues, in a bid to arouse social concern about the preservation of personal data and privacy issues, at the same time reminding public members of the appropriate preventive actions to take. Starting from this Saturday (13 May), "Privacy Special" will be screened on TVB Jade every Saturday evening at 7:35 pm.
Edwin MAK, Executive Producer of "Privacy Special", says that while personal privacy has become a topic of wide social concern in recent years, rapidly advancing information technology has further rendered the issue an indispensable one too important to neglect. With an exceedingly broad-ranging scope, the privacy issue affects the individual and public interests profoundly. In particular, definitions of "privacy", ways of handling personal data, and how to formulate effective preventive measures, etc., should entail a good deal of controversy. RTHK's "Privacy Special" will examine privacy issues from a multitude of perspectives in hopes of foregrounding the message of privacy, enhancing the public's consciousness about privacy preservation and stimulating greater involvement in related discussions in society.
Through the rendering of privacy-related cases by dramatic means, the 4-episode "Privacy Special" will depict various kinds of situations of privacy infringement and theft of personal data. The first episode is devoted to privacy issues in the consumption of goods and services and related commercial activities. The focus of the second episode will be a reflection of the threats to personal privacy posed by internet and technological developments. The third episode turns to the employer-employee relationship and explores the extent to which personal privacy is to be respected with regard to work locations. With a macro-perspective, the fourth episode will examine Hong Kong's progress in the protection of privacy and explore the existing contradiction and balance to be struck between personal privacy and public interests.
The "2000 Opinion Survey on Public Attitudes Towards Privacy", conducted by the Social Science Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong who was commissioned by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Personal Data, revealed that among seven principal social policy issues, members of the public rated the privacy issue the third in terms of its importance, which showed no great difference from that of the previous three years. The survey indicated that the privacy issue was considered less important than air pollution and unemployment issues, roughly the same as food hygiene, but more important than health services, care for the elderly and sex discrimination issues. Besides, though purchasing on the internet has become increasingly popular, about half of the respondents showed great concern over the privacy consideration of such purchasing means. The respondents were mainly worried about "money loss due to interception of their credit card information", secondly they were concerned about "misuse of personal data by third parties". As for unsolicited commercial e-mails, over 80% of respondents objected to receiving them as most of them considered handling such e-mails wasted their time. (For further information about the survey, please contact Cecilia OR of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Personal Data. Tel: 28777170.)
"Privacy Special" transforms certain social phenomenon and real cases concerning privacy into drama. A number of brilliant artistes have played in the drama, namely CHEUNG Wai-yee, Grace YIP, LAM Man-lung, KWOK Yiu-ming, CHIU Wun, KONG Hei-man, LEE Tze-hung, KWOK Siu-wan, LO Hing-fai, YIU Ying-ying, CHEUNG Kwok-keung, AU Sin-yee, etc. In addition, college lecturer and cultural columnist MA Ka-fai who acts as a Doctor, or rather a researcher will present throughout the drama to lead audience into thinking about certain privacy issues reflected in each story.
RTHK held a press conference together with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Personal Data yesterday (10 May), announcing details of the programme. Attending guests included Stephen LAU, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, CHEUNG Man-sun, Controller, ETV of RTHK, artistes such as Nicolas TSE, CHIU Wun, LEE Tze-hung, LO Hing-fai, KWOK Siu-wan and AU Sin-yee. The results of the survey "2000 Opinion Survey on Public Attitudes Towards Privacy" was released. Showbiz artistes are invited to join the "Headquarters for the Protection of Privacy" to take an active role in protecting personal privacy.
From 13 May onwards, "Privacy Special" will be broadcast on Saturdays at 7:35 pm on TVB Jade. Internet users round the globe will be able to watch the programme synchronously on RTHK on Internet - The Cyber Station (http://www.rthk.org.hk). Besides, some relevant information and pictures will be uploaded onto RTHK homepage for the easy access of audience.
A hotline will also be set up at 2827 2827 after the broadcast of the programme from 8 pm to 8:30 pm, so that the audience can give comments or make inquiries on the privacy issue.