The same data protection and privacy issues exist here in the U.S. Is anyone listening or doing anything about it, though?
Ming Yeung reports from Hong Kong:
The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data revealed on Thursday that some deficiencies exist in security safeguards concerning the school drug testing pilot scheme in Tai Po. The commissioner disclosed that while there has yet to be a breach of security, there are flaws in the information technology and communications systems that could pose potential threats to the security of data.
The Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau and the Education Bureau jointly carried out the voluntary drug testing program at 23 Tai Po secondary schools in 2009. Student participation was strictly voluntary.
Even before the program was inaugurated, the commissioner, Allan Chiang Yam-wang noted that there had been no prior privacy impact assessment to assess risks. Chiang said those assessments were vital, due to the importance and sensitivity of the data.
The commissioner noted that since there was a lack of comprehensive policies and an absence of unanimity as to how data should be handled, different parties receiving sensitive data handled personal information in various ways.
Read more on China Daily.