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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 11 August 2026. This Privacy Policy explains how The Hong Kong News ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in compliance with the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Data We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal data:

  • Account data: name, email address, password hash when you register.
  • Usage data: pages visited, article views, session duration, device and browser type, IP address, and referring URL — collected via server logs and analytics.
  • Communication data: messages submitted through our contact form, including your name and email.
  • Cookie data: session identifiers, preference cookies, and third-party analytics cookies (see Section 6).

2. How We Use Your Data

Personal data is used solely for the purposes for which it was collected, including:

  • Providing and maintaining reader accounts and personalised services.
  • Analysing audience engagement to improve editorial quality.
  • Responding to enquiries submitted via our contact form.
  • Detecting and preventing fraudulent or abusive activity.
  • Complying with applicable legal obligations.

3. Legal Basis (GDPR)

For readers in the European Economic Area, we rely on the following legal bases: contractual necessity (account services), legitimate interests (analytics, security), and consent (optional marketing communications). You may withdraw consent at any time.

4. Data Retention

Account data is retained for the duration of your account plus 12 months. Usage logs are retained for 13 months. Contact submissions are retained for 24 months. Anonymised, aggregated analytics data may be retained indefinitely.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell personal data. We share data only with: hosting infrastructure providers operating under data processing agreements; analytics service providers under strict data-use restrictions; and public authorities when required by Hong Kong law or court order.

6. Cookies

We use essential session cookies required for site functionality, and optional analytics cookies (Google Analytics). You may disable non-essential cookies via your browser settings. Disabling cookies does not affect access to our editorial content.

7. Your Rights

Under the PDPO and GDPR you have the right to: access your personal data; correct inaccurate data; request erasure; object to processing; and lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD). To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@thehk.news.

8. Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including TLS encryption in transit, hashed password storage, and access controls limited to authorised personnel.

9. Changes to This Policy

Material changes will be prominently announced on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance.

10. Contact

Data protection queries should be directed to our Privacy Officer at privacy@thehk.news.