The first work to examine data privacy laws across Asia, covering all 26 countries and separate jurisdictions, and with in-depth analysis of the 14 which have specialised data privacy laws. Professor Greenleaf demonstrates the increasing world-wide significance of data privacy and the international context of the development of national data privacy laws as well as assessing the laws, their powers and their enforcement against international standards.

'Asian Data Privacy Laws' analyses data privacy laws across Asia. Written by the leading expert in this area, the book sets out the international context of the development of national data privacy law before examining and comparing data privacy in 14 Asian countries.

This book provides a comparison and practical guide for academics, students, and the business community of the current data protection laws in selected Asia Pacific countries (Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand) and the European Union. The book shows how over the past three decades the range of economic, political, and social activities that have moved to the internet has increased significantly. This technological transformation has resulted in the collection of personal data, its use and storage across international boundaries at a rate that governments have been unable to keep pace. The book highlights challenges and potential solutions related to data protection issues arising from cross-border problems in which personal data is being considered as intellectual property, within transnational contracts and in anti-trust law. The book also discusses the emerging challenges in protecting personal data and promoting cyber security. The book provides a deeper understanding of the legal risks and frameworks associated with data protection law for local, regional and global academics, students, businesses, industries, legal profession and individuals.

Covering 16 Asian jurisdictions – representing differing stages in the development of data protection regulatory systems – this book offers an in-depth, cross-jurisdictional commentary on the developing world of Asian privacy and personal data protection, with a special focus on private international law issues. It brings together an international team of contributors who reflect on the framework of data privacy and protection laws in their respective regions. Topics discussed range from the extent to which such laws may have extraterritorial effect or may conflict with the laws of other states, to shortcomings of existing systems and their potential for improvement. More than a valuable contribution to comparative private conflict of laws literature from an Asian perspective, the book also considers possible future trajectories for existing laws. It covers the extent to which Asian regimes will inevitably need to integrate with ever-evolving privacy and personal data protection initiatives in the EU, the USA, and China. It also assesses the extent to which existing regimes are sufficiently robust to handle the challenges of future technical developments in data collection and data transfer across borders, especially in relation to the activities of giant corporations such as Meta (Facebook), Google, Amazon, Alibaba, and Tencent. The result is a wide-ranging and forward-thinking resource, which provides practitioners and researchers with an account of data privacy law and personal data protection laws in Asia and their cross-border implications – as those regulations are now and as they might be in the future.

The idea of a right to privacy, which arose in reaction to the rapid rise of newspapers, instant photography and the “paparazzi” of the 19th century, has evolved into a constitutional right in much of the developed world. It is enshrined in Hong Kong through Articles 28, 29, 30 and 39 of the Basic Law. Hong Kong stands proud as the first jurisdiction in Asia to enact legislation to safeguard personal data in the form of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, Cap 486 (“the Ordinance”) which came into force in 1996. At its centre are the six Data Protection Principles based on the 1980 OECD Guidelines. The office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data was created under this legislation to provide oversight and ensure compliance. The Octopus scandal in mid-2010 eventually led to substantial changes being made to the Ordinance that were enacted in 2012 and 2013, the main amendments being the Direct Marketing provisions and the provision of legal assistance and representation to aggrieved persons. In this digital age, the Ordinance is proving to be the main safeguard of our privacy rights. The Data Protection Principles seek to create broad common principles based on fairness that apply to the public and private sectors. The passage of twenty years since the enactment of the Ordinance has given rise to a substantial body of case law and administrative decisions on these principles and the other provisions of the Ordinance. The new amendments have already been the subject of judicial scrutiny. This publication, which replaces its predecessor, has the dual aim of becoming a practitioner’s guide on the important subject of personal data privacy, containing, as it does, a detailed exposition of the principles and provisions in the Ordinance and a comprehensive source of reference materials, and of enabling the Privacy Commissioner to discharge his major duty to promote awareness and understanding of the Ordinance. The second edition includes not only a full discussion of these principles, but also summaries of all the seminal cases and Administrative Appeals Board rulings in this area, as well as a comprehensive list of all the pertinent cases.

This book provides a comparison and practical guide of the data protection laws of Canada, China (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), Laos, Philippines, South Korea, United States and Vietnam. The book builds on the first book Data Protection Law. A Comparative Analysis of Asia-Pacific and European Approaches, Robert Walters, Leon Trakman, Bruno Zeller. As the world comes to terms with Artificial Intelligence (AI), which now pervades the daily lives of everyone. For instance, our smart or Iphone, and smart home technology (robots, televisions, fridges and toys) access our personal data at an unprecedented level. Therefore, the security of that data is increasingly more vulnerable and can be compromised. This book examines the interface of cyber security, AI and data protection. It highlights and recommends that regulators and governments need to undertake wider research and law reform to ensure the most vulnerable in the community have their personal data protected adequately, while balancing the future benefits of the digital economy.