Media Statements

Privacy Commissioner Calls for Global Convergence and Interoperability on Data
Protection at the 52^nd Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities Forum
and Outlines Recent Privacy Landscape Changes in China to
International Data Protection Communities

The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong (Privacy Commissioner) Mr Stephen Kai-yi WONG attended the 52^nd Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) Forum and the side event “Global Privacy Forum” in Cebu, the Philippines on 2-4 December. In the forum sessions and media interviews, he was invited to explain, among others, the issues relating to personal data arising from recent social incidents in Hong Kong. The Privacy Commissioner also called for strengthening inter-regional collaboration to alleviate difficulties in enforcement. With the growing significance and influence of China in global data-driven economy, the Privacy Commissioner moderated and spoke at a session focusing on the recent changes in privacy landscape in Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China.

The Privacy Commissioner delivered a presentation entitled “Investigation and Enforcement of Data Protection”, emphasising how doxxing, as a form of “weapon” in the use of personal data, violated personal data privacy and caused psychological harm, resulting from intimidation or nuisance and harassment, to the data subjects affected. In addition to proposing regulatory reform to enhance the power of the Privacy Commissioner, such as enabling the Privacy Commissioner to apply to court for injunction restraining doxxing and to conduct criminal investigation and prosecution, the Privacy Commissioner reiterated that inter-regional connection and collaboration among data protection authorities is of utmost importance. “There is an urgent need for developing global policy, standards and models for data protection and privacy across the region,” he said.

The Privacy Commissioner also spoke at the session entitled “Data Protection and Privacy Implementation Compliance, and Initiatives from the East” in the Global Privacy Forum under the theme of “Bridging East and West”, attended by over 600 participants. He stressed the importance of increasing convergence, with suggestions to develop a bilateral or multilateral assistance mechanism and to adopt an internationally accepted standard or certification to mitigate challenges in cross-region enforcement.

Also at the Global Privacy Forum, the Privacy Commissioner moderated and spoke at the session entitled “Recent Privacy Landscape Changes in China”. Taking this opportunity to promote international privacy professionals’ understanding of the data protection regulations in the mainland of China, the Privacy Commissioner shared an overview of the recent development in personal information protection in the mainland of China. The Privacy Commissioner discussed the impact of the evolution of the data protection regulations of China with the other speakers, namely Mr Ken Yang, Coordinator of the Office for Personal Data Protection, Macao, China; Ms Grace Chen, Privacy Director - International, Ant Financial; and Mr Alan Tang, Deputy Director, Global Cyber Security and Privacy Office, Huawei.

“Mobile data traffic in the mainland of China in 2018 recorded more than 71 billion gigabytes, and the global figure was 228 billion gigabytes. Having more than 30% of the world’s mobile data traffic, authorities in China (of which Hong Kong and Macao are integral parts) have every reason to step up data protection regulatory frameworks. Likewise, enterprises are making every effort to seek to comply with data protection regulation, and to follow good practices and data ethics without compromising economic and ICT development,” the Privacy Commissioner said.

Smart City is another hot topic under the spotlight. The Privacy Commissioner explained the related privacy concerns at the session entitled “Privacy and Public Affairs in Hong Kong”, and elaborated on how more privacy-friendly technologies can be deployed by increasing transparency, perfecting explainability and building up trust to make information available to the public. He also shared the different perspectives between the East and the West in the deployment of facial recognition technologies.

The Privacy Commissioner was also invited to speak at “CIPL-TTC Labs Design Jam”, sharing his views on the importance and possible criteria of explainability of Artificial Intelligence from a personal data privacy perspective, and outlining the draft Ethical Accountability Framework to be published in a few months’ time.

Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA), formed in 1992, is the principal forum for privacy and data protection authorities in the Asia Pacific region to form partnerships and exchange ideas about privacy regulation, new technologies and the management of privacy enquiries and complaints. The next (53rd) Forum is scheduled to be held in May/June 2020 in Hong Kong in collaboration with Macao, the two special administrative regions in the Greater Bay Area, China.

The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong Mr Stephen Kai-yi WONG attends the 52^nd Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) Forum in Cebu, the Philippines.

The Privacy Commissioner (1st from right) moderates and speaks at the session entitled “Recent Privacy Landscape Changes in China”, sharing an overview of the recent development in personal information protection in the mainland of China.

Download Presentation Material:
"Data Protection and Privacy Implementation Compliance, and Initiatives from the East" by the Privacy Commissioner
"Recent Privacy Landscape Changes in China" by the Privacy Commissioner