Extreme caution urged for Hongkongers as data privacy complaints jump 62% in AI era
Commissioner urges public to be careful about sharing personal data during online shopping and membership sign-ups, saying such details are marketable
Hongkongers should exercise extreme caution in guarding their personal data, especially during online shopping and membership sign-ups, the city’s privacy watchdog has said after complaints jumped more than 60 per cent year on year in the first half of 2026.
Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Ada Chung Lai-ling said on Saturday that residents’ personal data had become a valuable, tradeable commodity in the age of technology.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data received 2,990 complaints in the first half of the year, a 62 per cent increase from the same period last year.
Of these, the information technology sector accounted for the highest number, with 867 cases.