17 October, 2012

Legal News & Analysis – Asia Pacific – Hong Kong – TMT

The Personal Data (Privacy)(Amendment) Ordinance 2012, which was passed by the Legislative Council earlier in June this year, came into effect progressively from 1 October 2012. The amendments will be introduced in three phases as follows:-

1. Amendments unrelated to direct marketing and the provision of legal assistance by the Privacy Commissioner to aggrieved persons ("Legal Assistance Scheme") came into force on 1 October 2012;
2. Amendments relating to direct marketing will come into force on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs by notice published in the Gazette, though tentatively it is scheduled to come into force on 1 April 2013;
3. Amendments relating to the Legal Assistance Scheme will come into force on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs by notice published in the Gazette.