Gabriela Kennedy writes:
Something of a furore has been caused in Hong Kong by the decision of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (“PCPD”) to issue an enforcement notice to stop a company from supplying data on individuals obtained from publicly available litigation and bankruptcy records via a smartphone application, claiming that the company ”seriously invaded” the privacy of those individuals. Various commentators have accused the PCPD of threatening freedom of information, making inconsistent decisions, and being technophobic, while others argue that the decision highlights the limitations of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (“PDPO”) which governs the use of personal data in Hong Kong. So, when is publicly available personal data actually private data?
Read more on Chronicle of Data Protection.