Publishing a court judgment on social media
The Enquiry
Enquirer noticed that someone posted a court judgment on social media and would like to know whether such act contravened the requirements of the Ordinance.
Our Response
All data users are obliged to comply with the requirements under Data Protection Principle (DPP) 3 of Schedule 1 to the Ordinance when using (including disclosing) personal data. DPP3 prohibits the use of personal data for any new purpose which is not or is unrelated to the original purpose when collecting the data, unless with the data subject’s express and voluntary consent or any applicable exemptions under Part 8 of the Ordinance apply.
Personal data obtained from the public domain is equally protected under the Ordinance. Whether the use of such personal data complies with DPP3 generally hinges on the initial purpose for its disclosure, limitations on the use, and the data subject’s reasonable expectation of personal data privacy.
For requirements regarding the collection and use of personal data in the public domain, please make reference to our “Guidance on Use of Personal Data Obtained from the Public Domain”.
(Uploaded in August 2026)