Notes from the IAPP Asia Managing Director, 31 March 2017

Greetings from Singapore!

It seems to me that voting these days is far from straightforward and constantly mired in controversy, whether it be alleged voter fraud, foreign state intervention, mistruths told in various campaigns, or just fake news.

Even in Hong Kong, there is drama surrounding the recent election. I previously noted that Privacy Commissioner Wong had raised privacy concerns over an unofficial opinion polling website. Now it appears that the personal information of the city’s 3.7 million voters, as well as the names and personal information of the 1,200 electors on the Election Committee, may have been compromised after the Registration and Electoral Office reported two laptop computers went missing at its backup venue for the election of the chief executive. While it was stressed that the data was encrypted, the incident could be one of Hong Kong’s most significant data breaches ever. An investigation is to be launched.

I have just returned from Australia and not only is interest in privacy as a profession growing, but public awareness of privacy is increasing significantly. In December, the government faced a public backlash over the collection of personal information during its census, following denial of service attacks on its website, leading to privacy concerns and, in turn, worries that a percentage of the public supplied false information in protest. A story from Western Australia highlights that government agencies are tracking and using information gleaned from its electronic payment system for transportation, allegedly to reduce fare evasion. This is not a new thing — the same happens in Victoria and New South Wales. What is increasing is public awareness and sensitivity about the purposes for which their information is used. At the same time, telcos are pushing back on government requirements to retain personal information in case it be required by a government agency. While national security and serious crime may be legitimate reasons to call for data, parking violations and tree vandalism are not, say the telcos. The deadline for compliance looms, with discussions ongoing.

At the same time, post-Panama papers, New Zealand is expanding its anti-money laundering and counter terrorism-financing laws. It seems that the cost of compliance will continue to increase and the desires for safety and privacy will become ever more finely balanced.

Here’s looking at you.