XN000022-1988-03-22 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1988

CAUTIOUS APPROACH IN PROTECTING PERSONAL INFORMATION

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY AND ADOPT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE GENERAL NON-INTERVENTIONIST PHILOSOPHY IN ITS APPROACH TO PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION PROCESSED BY COMPUTERS, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HR WAS SPEAKING AT THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON EAST LUNCHEON

MEETING.

MR TSAO POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ACCEPTED THAT IN PRINCIPLE DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN HONG KONG AFTER HAVING MONITORED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THE TREND IN MANY COUNTRIES WHICH HAD BROUGHT IN DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION.

"WE RECOGNISE HOWEVER THAT THE SUBJECT IS COMPLEX, THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN IMPLEMENTING DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN A HAPPY ONE, AND THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SATISFY EVERYONE, MR TSAO SAID.

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"FOR HONG KONG IN PARTICULAR, DEPENDENT AS IT IS ON SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, IT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO STRIKE THE BEST POSSIBLE BALANCE BETWEEN THE INTERESTS OF THOSE WHO USE PERSONAL INFORMATION IN THEIR EVERYDAY BUSINESS AND THOSE WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF THAT INFORMATION, WHILE NOT FORGETTING THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE."

BESIDES SHARING THE CONCERNS OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN THIS REGARD, MR TSAO NOTED THAT THERE ARE TWO MAJOR REASONS WHY THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING LEGISLATION.

KINGDOM, UNLAWFUL

FIRST, THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, TO WHICH HONG KONG SUBSCRIBES THROUGH THE UNITED PROVIDES THAT NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED TO ARBITRARY OR INTERFERENCE WITH HIS PRIVACY AND THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT PROTECTION OF THE LAW AGAINST SUCH INTERFERENCE.

"THE GOVERNMENT TAKES THE VIEW MATTER DESERVING ATTENTION IN ITS OWN ASPECTS OF PRIVACY, MR TSAO SAID.

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TO THE

THAT DATA PROTECTION RIGHT, DIVORCED FROM

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THE SECOND CONSIDERATION IS THAT HONG KONG'S POSITION AS A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE COULD BE JEOPARDISED IF THERE WERE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON THE FREE FLOW OF PERSONAL DATA TO THE TERRITORY FROM ABROAD.

MR TSAO SAID THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT IGNORE THIS ALTHOUGH HOW LIKELY SUCH A THREAT WOULD BE TO HONG KONG WAS NOT YET KNOWN.

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THERE IS HOWEVER NO INDICATION

HONG KONG HE SAID.

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OF ANY

IMMEDIATE THREAT то

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