Media Statements

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) today arrested a Chinese male aged 43 in Kowloon. The arrested person was suspected to have disclosed the personal data of his former friend and her daughter without the former friend’s consent, in contravention of section 64(3A) of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO).
 
The PCPD’s investigation revealed that the arrested person and the victim had had a relationship since 2021 which terminated in 2022. The arrested person continued contacting the victim afterwards. The two had a monetary dispute in 2024 and the arrested person alleged that the victim owed him money.
 
On three different occasions between December 2024 and early January 2025, dunning flyers containing the same set of personal data of the victim and her daughter were posted at the external walls of the primary school attended by the victim’s daughter and at nearby lamp posts and housing estate, claiming that the victim had not repaid the debt. Later in mid-January 2025, the victim received some photos in an instant messaging application showing a person wearing a T-shirt printed with the same contents of the aforesaid flyers taking MTR and dining in a restaurant near her residence. The personal data disclosed included the Chinese name and photo of the victim, and the Chinese name of her daughter alongside the name of the primary school and grade that she was attending.
 
The arrested person is granted bail. The PCPD will continue its investigation into the case.
 
The PCPD reminds members of the public that they should not dox others because of monetary disputes. Doxxing is a serious offence and the offender is liable on conviction to a fine up to $1,000,000 and imprisonment for five years.
  
Relevant provisions under the PDPO

Pursuant to section 64(3A) of the PDPO, a person commits an offence if the person discloses any personal data of a data subject without the relevant consent of the data subject—

1. with an intent to cause any specified harm to the data subject or any family member of the data subject; or
2. being reckless as to whether any specified harm would be, or would likely be, caused to the data subject or any family member of the data subject.

A person who commits an offence under section 64(3A) is liable on conviction to a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years.

Pursuant to section 64(3C) of the PDPO, a person commits an offence if—

1. the person discloses any personal data of a data subject without the relevant consent of the data subject—

1. with an intent to cause any specified harm to the data subject or any family member of the data subject; or
2. being reckless as to whether any specified harm would be, or would likely be, caused to the data subject or any family member of the data subject; and

2. the disclosure causes any specified harm to the data subject or any family member of the data subject.

A person who commits an offence under section 64(3C) is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine of $1,000,000 and imprisonment for five years.

According to section 64(6) of the PDPO, specified harm in relation to a person means—

1. harassment, molestation, pestering, threat or intimidation to the person;
2. bodily harm or psychological harm to the person;
3. harm causing the person reasonably to be concerned for the person’s safety or well-being; or
4. damage to the property of the person.

－End－