A 29-year-old Female Arrested for Suspected Doxxing of Another Woman Because of Relationship Entanglements
Date: 15 November 2024
A 29-year-old Female Arrested for
Suspected Doxxing ofAnother Woman
Because of Relationship
Entanglements
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for
Personal Data (PCPD) today arrested a Chinese female aged 29 in the
New Territories. The arrested person was suspected to have disclosed
the personal data of the data subject without her consent, in
contravention of section 64(3A) of the Personal Data (Privacy)
Ordinance (PDPO).
The PCPD’s investigation revealed that the
victim became acquainted with a man (the Man) and started an intimate
relationship with him in 2021. In 2022, a female contacted the victim
through a social media platform. She told the victim that the Man was
her fiancé. The victim broke up with the Man after knowing that he was
in a relationship with the arrested person. Since March 2023, the
victim has repeatedly received phone calls and messages from various
service providers, as a result of which she learned that her personal
data was disclosed to different service providers without her consent
for making enquiries or registrations under her name for services
relating to matchmaking, wedding gown, wedding banquet, financial
planning, courses and emigration, etc. The personal data disclosed
included the victim’s Chinese name, English name, email address, and
mobile phone number, etc.
The arrested person is granted
bail. The PCPD will continue its investigation into the case.
The PCPD reminds members of the public that they should not,
owing to relationship disputes, harass others by disclosing their
personal data. Such disclosure may constitute doxxing behaviour and
the offender is liable on conviction to a fine up to $1,000,000 and
imprisonment for five years.
Relevant provisions under the
PDPO
Pursuant to section 64(3A) of the PDPO, a person commits
an offence if the person discloses any personal data of a data subject
without the relevant consent of the data subject—
with an
intent to cause any specified harm to the data subject or any family
member of the data subject; or
being reckless as to whether
any specified harm would be, or would likely be, caused to the data
subject or any family member of the data subject.
A person
who commits an offence under section 64(3A) is liable on conviction to
a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years.
Pursuant to
section 64(3C) of the PDPO, a person commits an offence if—
the person discloses any personal data of a data subject
without the relevant consent of the data subject—
with an
intent to cause any specified harm to the data subject or any family
member of the data subject; or
being reckless as to whether
any specified harm would be, or would likely be, caused to the data
subject or any family member of the data subject; and
the
disclosure causes any specified harm to the data subject or any family
member of the data subject.
A person who commits an offence
under section 64(3C) is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine
of $1,000,000 and imprisonment for five years.
According to
section 64(6) of the PDPO, specified harm in relation to a person
means—
harassment, molestation, pestering, threat or
intimidation to the person;
bodily harm or psychological harm
to the person;
harm causing the person reasonably to be
concerned for the person’s safety or well-being; or
damage to
the property of the person. －End－