Media Statements

Privacy Commissioner’s Office Welcomes
the Passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance by the Legislative Council

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) welcomes the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance by the Legislative Council, which completed the enactment of local legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law and improved the regime for safeguarding national security.
 
The PCPD is committed to protecting personal data privacy of members of the public through monitoring, supervising and ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO). As regards the expansion of the scope of “public officer” under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to include the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data or a person employed or engaged by the Privacy Commissioner under the PDPO, the PCPD welcomes the provision and agrees that the relevant clause will strengthen the protection of confidential information as well as enable the PCPD to more effectively perform its roles and duties under the PDPO.
 
Since the Personal Data (Privacy) Amendment Ordinance 2021 came into effect on 8 October 2021, the PCPD has been continuously combatting doxxing offences with resolute efforts. Doxxing is a serious offence, especially in cases involving doxxing of personnel who handle cases concerning national security or are responsible for the work on safeguarding national security. Therefore, the PCPD welcomes the increase of penalty for doxxing offences against those personnel.
 
In order to address the national security risks posed by the current information technology or electronic world and new technologies that may emerge in the future, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance introduces offences to combat acts endangering national security that are done in relation to a computer or electronic system. The PCPD supports the combatting of serious acts of sabotage or weakening of public infrastructure, or acts done in relation to a computer or electronic system without lawful authority which endanger national security. The PCPD agrees that the relevant offences will not hinder the development of innovation and technology, but instead provide a safer environment for the development of related fields.
 
The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Ms Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, said, “The PCPD will continue to strive to protect the personal data privacy of members of the public and to promote data security and cyber security, as well as to combat doxxing offences resolutely, to ensure that national security and the personal data privacy of members of the public are adequately safeguarded.”