The Witness Reporter Receives Legal Aid Applicant’s Private Letter; Legal Aid Department Confirms Staff Member Sent Email by Mistake; Privacy Commissioner Launches Compliance Review
《法庭線》記者接獲法援申請人私函 法援署證實職員誤發電郵 私隱公署：已展開循規審查
A reporter from The Witness recently received an email sent by the Legal Aid Department containing the personal data of a legal aid applicant, including the applicant’s address, email address and a small amount of personal information that could identify details of the case. The Legal Aid Department said in response to enquiries from this outlet that the incident was caused by a staff member’s mistake, who inadvertently sent a member of the public’s letter to the reporter. It said that, in accordance with notification guidelines, it had informed the affected data subject of the incident and instructed the staff member concerned. The department apologised for the incident. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said it had been notified by the relevant department and had launched a compliance review in accordance with established procedures. The Witness has deleted the relevant personal data and will not retain it.
《法庭線》記者日前接獲法律援助署發出的一封電郵，內附一名法援申請人的個人資料，包括住址、電郵地址及少量可辨識案情的個人資料等。 法援署回覆本網查詢，證實事件為一名職員錯失，意外誤發市民的信件給記者，並指已按通報指引，將事件告知受影響的資料當事人，以及訓示有關職員，法援署就事件致歉。個人資料私隱專員公署表示，已接獲相關部門通知，已根據既定程序展開循規審查。 《法庭線》已刪除相關個人資料，不予保留。