Privacy watchdog gives green light to introducing tracking function on LeaveHomeSafe

Adding a location tracking function to the LeaveHomeSafe app will not be in violation of Hong Kong's privacy law, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Ada Chung Lai-ling said. 

Currently, the government says the LeaveHomeSafe app does not comes with a tracking function. 

In case such a function is added, it will not violate the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, Chung said in a Legislative Council panel meeting on Thursday. 

However, she said the app shouldn't collect too much data and users should be informed why their information is collected and who will get their information.

The discussion was started by lawmaker Lai Tung-kwok from the New People's Party, who urged the government to add a location tracking function to the app. 

According to the government, the app currently helps citizens to record their visit history and all records will be saved in the phone, and will be automatically deleted after 31 days. Those who test positive or preliminary positive have to manually share their records to health authorities. 

Lai's suggestion was also backed Carmen Kan Wai-mun, who said that public health should come before privacy and called on the government to regulate all users must register the app using their real names. 

Chung replied that although adding the tracking function doesn't break the law, there will be changes in terms and conditions that need to be done, like clearly stating that users' information will be submitted to the Centre for Health Protection for works on contact tracing. 

She also noted that there are certain articles in the ordinance that exempt authorities from the restrictions of handling personal data. 

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai pointed out the the government will fully consider the legitimacy of the policies and citizens' concerns on privacy, hoping that they would understand and cooperate in this fight against the pandemic.