The Hong Kong government’s efforts to promote open data have been widely recognized internationally. However, a number of challenges still remain to be overcome. These include the lack of a clear definition of personal data, a lack of legal certainty in the areas of data portability and data protection and the need to build capacity for local expertise in these areas.
To address these challenges, the government has launched a series of public engagement events to raise awareness about the value and benefits of data hk. It also has established a Working Group on Open Data to provide guidance and support for the community. The Working Group is composed of experts from the local and international sectors. The Group is expected to submit its final report to the government by the end of this year.
The Working Group will consider various policies and initiatives to further enhance the transparency of data hk and encourage the development of a culture of responsible and ethical use of personal information. The Group will make recommendations to the government on how these can be implemented to ensure a robust and secure environment for data processing.
It will be critical for organisations to understand what constitutes “personal data” so that they can comply with the statutory requirements of the PDPO. This will require a review of existing processes and practices, as well as a clear assessment of the risks associated with each activity. For example, it will be important to determine whether a photograph of a crowd at a concert or CCTV recordings in car parks fall within the definition of personal data. If they do, then the data user will need to be compliant with the PDPO.
It will also be essential for data governance teams to clearly define the responsibilities of team members. An effective approach to managing this is through a responsibility assignment matrix such as RACI (responsible, accountable, consultative and informed). This ensures that all parties involved in a project understand their role and that they have the authority to do what is necessary. It will also help to manage expectations and prevent disputes. This will be particularly important for complex projects with multiple stakeholders.