In today’s digital economy, data has become a kind of capital – an economic factor of production in the form of digital goods and services. An automaker can’t manufacture a new car without financial capital; neither can a software developer create artificial intelligence (AI) systems without the necessary data to feed onboard algorithms. Consequently, it is crucial for businesses to have strong management practices and a robust data governance system in place.
In Hong Kong, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (“PDPO”) sets out data subject rights and specific obligations for data controllers, as well as regulating the collection, processing, holding and use of personal data through six data protection principles. It was originally introduced in 1996 and significantly amended in 2012 and 2021. These amendments focused on regulating the use of personal data in direct marketing, and on addressing the acts of disclosing personal information without consent, known as “doxxing”.
Whether it is a staff card that exhibits an individual’s own name, company name, photograph, ID number or employee number, or a database listing the personal details of individuals who have registered for the ‘Do Not Call’ register, these types of information could all constitute personal data under the PDPO if they can be used to identify a natural person. The PDPO stipulates that such data must not be displayed together in public or made available to any person other than those who require it for the purpose for which it is collected. The PDPO also requires that such data be collected and stored securely in accordance with the other data protection principles.
It is worth highlighting that the provisions of the PDPO, although designed to reflect international best practice in data privacy, do not provide express extraterritorial application. As Padraig Walsh, a member of our Data Privacy team, explains, this is because the PDPO does not have an explicit interpretation that would confer such application.
The Hong Kong Data Centers at Equinix are located in one of Asia’s most carrier-dense network hubs and are business hubs for numerous enterprises, IT and cloud service providers. This rich industry ecosystem provides the ideal location to connect into global networks and access customers, partners and vendors in a secure and reliable environment.
The Hong Kong Data Centers at Equinix provide a variety of interconnection options, including high-performance private connections to major international carrier networks. By leveraging these connections, we enable customers to accelerate their time to market, reduce costs and deliver the best possible user experience. In addition, we offer a wide range of software-defined cloud services to help our customers optimize their IT infrastructure and maximize business agility. For more information, please visit our website. Alternatively, you can contact your local sales representative or email us. We look forward to hearing from you!
