Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog makes first arrest under new anti-doxxing law
- The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data says the doxxing was related to a monetary dispute between the suspect and the alleged victim
- Legal amendments specifically criminalising doxxing took effect in October, and empowered the watchdog to carry out investigations and initiate prosecutions
The Chinese national was arrested on Monday after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data received a report by the alleged victim accusing the suspect of posting their personal details to an online platform, said Lo Dik-fan, of the watchdog’s criminal investigation division.
“This is the first action we have taken since doxxing was criminalised,” said Lo, who serves as acting senior personal data officer. “The case is related to a monetary dispute between the suspect and the victim.”
Authorities also confiscated a mobile phone in connection to the case.
Legal amendments making the malicious disclosure of personal information illegal took effect in October after being approved by the city’s legislature the month before. Under the new laws, the privacy commissioner can carry out criminal investigations and initiate prosecutions for doxxing.
