ENG-2007 — Page 416

352 Communications, the Media and Information Technology

electronic messages, including e-mail, fax, pre-recorded voice calls, Short Message Service (SMS)/Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, and so on, which have a 'Hong Kong link'2. The ordinance prescribes the rules for sending commercial electronic messages, including provision of accurate sender information and an unsubscribe facility, provides for the establishment of do-not-call registers, prohibits professional spamming activities as well as fraud or other illicit activities related to the sending of multiple commercial electronic messages. The ordinance came into full force on 22 December 2007.

The Government believes that the problem of spamming should be addressed by a multi-faceted strategy. In addition to the enactment of UEM Ordinance, the Government will continue to combat the problem by employing technical solution as well as launching educational campaigns and stepping up international cooperation particularly against e-mail spam. For example, Hong Kong is one of the founding signatories of the Seoul-Melbourne Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Countering Spam, an international community on anti-spam cooperation to share experience and exchange intelligence worldwide. Moreover, a community-wide Anti-spamming Task Force will be set up to advise the Government on policies and measures to further tackle the problem of spamming.

International Activities

Hong Kong has been an active player in international telecommunications forums. It is part of the Mainland delegation to conferences and meetings convened by the ITU. It participates as an independent member at the meetings of the Asia- Pacific Telecommunity and the Telecommunications and Information Working Group of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Hong Kong also plays an active part in the initiative to implement the APEC Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment.

Broadcasting

Hong Kong is the forerunner in adopting advanced broadcasting and telecommunications technologies. The Government's broadcasting policy objectives are to widen programme choice and diversity through competition, to facilitate the introduction of new, innovative broadcasting services and to enhance Hong Kong's position as a regional broadcasting hub.

In order to achieve the above objectives, Hong Kong has adopted a facilitating and pro-competition approach adopting various innovative broadcasting technologies, and has been providing a liberalised and light-handed regulatory environment for new broadcasting services to flourish. This allows Hong Kong to enter into a new era of broadcasting, with broadened programming choice and innovative services available to the viewing and listening public. Hong Kong now has close to 600 satellite and pay television channels available in digital format, and is the

2

In general, a message has a 'Hong Kong link' if it (i) originates in Hong Kong, (ii) is sent to Hong Kong, or (iii) is sent to a Hong Kong telephone or fax number. Detailed meaning of 'Hong Kong link' is set out in section 3 of the UEM Ordinance.