Privacy grouses surge to nearly 3,000 in first half
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data received nearly 3,000 complaints in the first half, a surge of more than 60 percent year on year. Commissioner Ada Chung said on Saturday the jump was mainly driven by AI adoption, with personal data being collected and used at speed and on a massive scale. “Because in the digital age, with the prevalence of social media platforms and the…
Nearly 3,000 complaints about privacy issues reached the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data within the first half of the year, marking a significant increase of over 60 percent compared to the previous year, according to Commissioner Ada Chung. The rise in complaints, which reached a near record level, can be primarily attributed to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence technologies, as businesses and individuals alike are collecting and utilizing vast amounts of personal data, remarked Chung during a recent appearance on Commercial Radio.
She explained that in today's digital age, where social media and the internet are ubiquitous, people have become accustomed to sharing a plethora of personal information with these platforms, thereby increasing the likelihood of complaints.
Moreover, Chung linked the surge in grievances to increased public consciousness surrounding the necessity of data protection. IT-related complaints, numbering over 800, constituted a substantial portion of the total complaints received. While acknowledging that many companies have outsourced third parties to manage their information systems, Chung emphasized that this does not absolve them of their responsibility.
"I do believe that the work can be contracted out," she affirmed. "However, the responsibility still lies with the data users; that means the company or the organisation itself still has the primary responsibility to safeguard the personal data in their possession."
To aid organizations in identifying potential risks and vulnerabilities in data protection, Chung's office has recently initiated a complimentary data privacy and web security scan programme, targeting schools, non-governmental organizations, and small and medium-sized enterprises. The programme, set to continue until November 16, offers a valuable service that many entities typically lack the resources to provide.
If the demand from participating groups proves overwhelming, the programme may be extended beyond its initial timeframe.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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