Hong Kong’s data privacy regulations are more stringent than in many other countries, including the US. This is particularly evident when it comes to collecting, processing and sharing personal data. The Hong Kong Personal Data Protection Ordinance (PDPO), introduced in 1996 and amended several times since then (most recently in 2021), establishes rights and obligations of data subjects as well as obligations on data controllers through six data protection principles.
The Personal Data Protection Ordinance (“PDPO”) covers anyone collecting personal data in Hong Kong, such as businesses, public authorities, government bodies and non-profit organisations. It aims to protect people’s private information against unauthorized use, disclosure or destruction; prevent leakage without consent; and secure compliance.
There are other laws and regulations that regulate how companies handle personal information as well, including the Personal Information Protection Policy Act (PIPPA). PIPPA requires companies to have written data protection policies in place and notify customers accordingly; this ensures people know how their data will be used and allows them to withdraw consent at any time.
Companies that collect and process personal information must also establish safeguards to protect it from misuse or accidental loss, while being able to retrieve all requested personal data quickly upon request – using a data warehouse as the means for this. Having all your data on-premise can ensure it will always be available during an emergency or important business decisions.
SmartTone offers prepaid SIM cards that enable users to make calls and send texts at local rates in Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China. Their HK$ 48 starter plan offers unlimited roaming data in Hong Kong; 8GB annually split amongst mainland China/Macau plus 7-Eleven/Van Go/Circle K kiosks/csl shops; topping-up can be done either online or using vouchers sold in these outlets; they support voice, SMS/Tethering service only (no Tethering).