After both a broadband company and a “storage service provider” were the first two organizations found guilty of breaching new direct-marketing provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO) by “using a customer’s personal data for direct marketing purposes …without the customer’s consent,” they received relatively low fines. However, in a report for Lexology, attorneys Matthew Durham and Joanne Mok argue the PDPO decisions carry significant future legal weight. “While the fines imposed to date are relatively low in value, the indication is that the violations of direct-marketing restrictions will be more stringently enforced going forward,” they note, adding, “Commentators also suggest that even if fines are low, there may be significant reputational damage for companies.”
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