PCPD - Do Young People Value Privacy?

Information Centre

Do Young People Value Privacy?

Date: 8 October 2002

Do Young People Value Privacy?
A territory wide Survey found that young people believed more in the protection of personal data and maintaining their privacy when compared to the general population. They were most particular about keeping their ID card numbers, as well as their address and telephone number private. This was especially so amongst the older respondents. Unsurprisingly, female respondents preferred their personal attributes, such as bust size, waist and hip measurements, sexual orientation, age and weight to be kept private.
The Survey, conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, also noted that young people were reluctant to make public, specific aspects of their personal data, such as their personal or family's financial situation, and their relationships and love affairs. Young people preferred to keep their parents in the dark about, most commonly, their personal financial situations, followed by their relationships and love affairs and salary. Employed respondents did not want their colleagues to be privy to their income, financial situation, and relationships and love affairs, while respondents at school preferred to withhold such information as their family's financial situation, their ID card numbers, and relationships and love affairs from their classmates.
When suggested with four scenarios regarding the invasion of privacy, young people believed very strongly that reading personal letters was the most severe breach, scoring 9.2 points out of a possible 10. This was followed by reading e-mails (8.9 points), companies or persons with whom one had no personal contact using personal information for business purposes (7.9 points) and newspapers or magazines printing photographs taken in public without permission (7.7 points).
However, on the whole, respondents did not find it an invasion of privacy if requested to supply potential employers with their ID card numbers, proof of age, marital status or with photographs. Only one-third of the respondents took the initiative to ask how their personal data would be used, while 40 per cent stated that those collecting the information explained the purpose. 25 per cent were neither informed by data collectors nor did they ask the purpose for collecting data.
Nearly all the respondents (97.8 per cent) claimed that they would reject a request by any organization to provide their friends?correspondence information in return for either a special offer or discount before getting their friends?consent. Similarly, 90 per cent of respondents felt it was equally unacceptable if their friends provided their correspondence information to any organization in return for special offers or discount before receiving their consent.
85 per cent of respondents knew that an Ordinance, which protected personal data and privacy in Hong Kong, was in existence.   Close to 60 per cent were of the view that the protection efforts of personal data had improved over the past five years, with 31 per cent believing that the situation was unchanged. Just less than 5 per cent took a negative view.
The telephone Survey was conducted on the 9th, 10th and 12th September 2002. 529 young people, aged between 12 and 34, were successfully polled.   The Survey found that respondents rated themselves higher (8.3 points) when it came to evaluate the importance of protecting personal data and maintaining privacy, in comparison to the general population (6.2 points). They also thought of themselves as being respectful of other people's privacy, rating themselves at 7.5 points out of 10.
End

Back to top

[Back][Archive]

End of Page

[About PCPD] [The Ordinance] [PCPD Activities] [Information Centre] [Personal Data Privacy Liberal Studies] [Privacy Zone for Youngsters]
[Publications & Videos] [Enquiries & Complaints] [Case Notes] [Contact Us] [Search] [Site Directory] [Graphical Version]
[Chinese Version]