Privacy Watchdog To Issue Guidelines On EU Rules

The Privacy Commission said it will issue new guidelines next month to help Hong Kong businesses adapt to the European Union’s more stringent data protection regulations.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will take effect at the end of May, and will standardise data protection law across all EU countries as well as address the export of personal data outside the EU.

The Privacy Commissioner, Stephen Wong, told RTHK’s Janice Wong that its guidelines will help businesses in Hong Kong avoid breaching the new rules.

Stephen Wong said for example, the new standards require every organisation to appoint a senior officer to be in charge of personal data management.

He also said businesses will have to be more careful when obtaining consent from their clients under the new requirements.

“In Hong Kong, we have little say about consent when you opt for a certain service. In the new EU regulation, consent must be confirmative, positive, unequivocal … silence is not consent,” he said.

“Perhaps we would have to advise the organisations to offer more options, for the individuals to give their consent, or reserve their consent, or change their consent.”