The Immigration Department has vowed to protect personal data and signed the first undertaking initiated by the Privacy Commission amid the recent tide of government data leakage.Director of Immigration Simon Peh Yun-lu yesterday said the agreement was a joint effort with Privacy Commissioner Roderick Woo Bun.
The department will adopt the new measures to enhance the existing personal data protection system, he said.
No immigration officer will be allowed to take documents containing sensitive personal data out of the office under a new measure to protect privacy.
Other measures include erasing identification of individuals from all documents; categorizing paper and electronic files with personal data; and not allowing highly sensitive documents to be stored on portable electronic devices.
Woo welcomed the move, saying he would promote and encourage stepping up data protection among government departments and bureaus.
"I do not have the power to make all departments comply with the guidelines, but I will advise them to adopt these measures to protect personal data privacy," Woo said.
Last month 27 document files marked confidential, including minutes and internal memos, were leaked on the internet through FOXY file- sharing software.
The documents included names and dates of birth of 11 foreigners and three locals.
Investigation showed that the incident was due to the carelessness of an immigration officer in handling the documents, which were brought home and used in a personal computer with an internet file-sharing program. The commission has decided not to take further action against the officer responsible for the leak.
Personal data of 46,000 people have been leaked by government departments and public organizations in the past three years. A recent spate of scandals over leaks by police, the Immigration Department and the Hospital Authority roused public concern over privacy.
