Media Statements

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) noted reports of overseas media that researchers of cybersecurity information websites uncovered global data breach incidents affecting various online platforms. The breaches were said to involve 12 terabytes of information,  containing 26 billion records of personal data. It was also reported that the majority of the leaked data might have come from previous data breach incidents, involving user records worldwide from various social media and online platforms such as Tencent QQ, Weibo, X, LinkedIn, Adobe, Dropbox and Telegram, etc.

Although there is no further information at this stage about whether users in Hong Kong are affected, given that a huge amount of personal data is involved and the affected platforms include social media and online platforms commonly used by citizens in Hong Kong, the PCPD reminds users of the relevant social media and online platforms to stay vigilant and guard themselves against potential theft of their personal data. In particular, hackers may make use of the leaked data to perpetuate frauds, including phishing scams, fraudulently using users’ identities to borrow money, etc. If members of the public are concerned about whether their personal data have been leaked, they may make enquiries with the PCPD (telephone: 2827 2827 or email: communications@pcpd.org.hk) or the organisations concerned. To protect personal data privacy, users of the relevant social media and online platforms are also advised to take the following measures: