{"id":32469,"date":"2026-03-05T07:11:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T07:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prelive-tdw.visibleone.app\/?post_type=insight-and-news&#038;p=32469"},"modified":"2026-03-26T07:22:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T07:22:33","slug":"is-my-boss-allowed-to-spy-on-me-when-im-working","status":"publish","type":"insight-and-news","link":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/insight-and-news\/is-my-boss-allowed-to-spy-on-me-when-im-working\/","title":{"rendered":"Is my boss allowed to spy on me when I\u2019m working?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n    \n\n<div style=\"background-image:url('https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/wp-content\/themes\/tanner-de-witt\/images\/insightdetails.jpeg')\"\n    class=\"insight-news-detail-hero\" id=\"insight-news-detail-hero\">\n\n\t\t<div style=\"background-color:\" class=\"insight-news-detail-hero-overlay \"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"z-[0]\">\n                <div class=\"insight-news-breadcrumbs flex items-end practice-areas-featured-breadcrumbs \">\n                    <a class=\"page-link no-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/\">Home<\/a>                <\/div>\n\n\n                <div class=\"hero-title\">\n                    <h1>\n                        Is my boss allowed to spy on me when I\u2019m working?                    <\/h1>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                    <div style=\"\" class=\"hero-date \">\n\n                        <span class=\"month\">Mar<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"day\">05<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"year\">2026<\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n    \n\n    \n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<script >\n    (function () {\n        document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", () => {\n\n            const breadCrumbsContainer = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\".practice-areas-featured-breadcrumbs\"));\n\n            breadCrumbsContainer.forEach(container => {\n                const breadCrumbLinks = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('.page-link'));\n                const breadCrumbSeperators = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('.separator'));\n\n                if (Array.from(breadCrumbLinks).length === 1) {\n                    const homeNode = breadCrumbLinks[0];\n\n                    if (!homeNode) {\n                        return\n                    }\n\n                    const postTypeNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n                    postTypeNode.textContent = \"Insights and News\";\n                    container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                    container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', postTypeNode)\n                    breadCrumbLinks.push(postTypeNode);\n\n                    if (\"Insights\") {\n                        const categoryNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n\n                        categoryNode.textContent = \"Insights\";\n                        container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                        container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', categoryNode)\n                        breadCrumbLinks.push(categoryNode);\n                    }\n\n\n                    const titleNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n\n                    titleNode.textContent = \"Is my boss allowed to spy on me when I\u2019m working?\";\n                    container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                    container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', titleNode)\n                    breadCrumbLinks.push(titleNode);\n\n\n\n\n                }\n\n                breadCrumbLinks.forEach((link, index) => {\n\n                    link.classList.add('practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-name');\n                    const origin = window.location.origin;\n                    const href = window.location.href;\n\n                    const originSplitter = window.location.href.includes(\"insight-and-news\") ? \"insight-and-news\" : window.location.href.includes('insights-and-news') ? \"insights-and-news\" : \"\"\n\n                    const paths = href.split(originSplitter);\n                    const links = paths[1].split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean)\n\n\n                    const resolvedOrigin = originSplitter ? 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Installing an audio recorder at the concierge desk to monitor all conversations with customers to assess her performance; and<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3462\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">3.\u00a0Intending to take photos to record prohibited behaviours such as using smartphone on duty and failure to maintain good gestures.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3464\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The Court clarified that <em>\u201cthere is no over-arching, all-embracing cause of action for \u201cinvasion of privacy\u201d<\/em> <em>[45]\u201d<\/em>.\u00a0 Rather, section 4 of the PDPO does not allow for any act or engagement in practice which contravenes data protection principles unless required or permitted under it.\u00a0 The data protection principles relevant to <em>Chan<\/em> are as follows:<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3466\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\"><em>(i)\u00a0Principle 1(1): Personal data shall not be collected unless the data is collected for a lawful purpose directly related to a function or activity of the data user who is to use the data.<\/em><\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3468\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\"><em>(ii)\u00a0Principle 1(2): Personal data shall be collected by means which are lawful and fair in the circumstances of the case.<\/em><\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3470\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\"><em>(iii)\u00a0Principle 1(3): Where the person from whom personal data is or is to be collected is the data subject, all practicable steps shall be taken to ensure that he is [informed].<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3472\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">In <em>Chan<\/em>, the Court held DGSL\u2019s collection of personal data through surveillance was not unfair and there was no violation of Ms Chan\u2019s privacy for the following reasons:<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3474\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">1.\u00a0Purpose:\u00a0 CCTV and audio recording were for the \u201clawful purpose\u201d of monitoring her performance which directly relates to her employment.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3476\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">2.\u00a0Expectation of privacy: The concierge desk was in a public area of the Mall, so anyone in close proximity could see and hear her whilst she was on duty.\u00a0 As such, she cannot reasonably expect for privacy when she was on duty serving the customers.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3478\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Ms Chan also complained about her lack of consent in DGSL\u2019s surveillance measures.\u00a0 However, the Court also rejected this claim for the following reasons:<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3480\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">1.\u00a0Consent not required: Principle 1(3) only requires Ms Chan to be informed but there is no requirement for consent.\u00a0 Ms Chan was in fact informed about the audio recording in advance.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3482\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">2.\u00a0Exemption for CCTV: Ms Chan was not informed about the CCTV recording in advance.\u00a0 However, the purpose of CCTV recording falls under the legal exemption of the PDPO, such that the purpose would be prejudiced had Ms Chan been informed on or before the CCTV recording.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3483\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3484\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\"><strong>Guidance for the Employers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3486\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\"><em>Chan<\/em> reassures employers that they are allowed to reasonably monitor their employees\u2019 performance through legal and fair means.\u00a0 They do not need prior consent of the employees and will only be required to inform the employees, unless exempted to do so.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3488\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The Privacy Commissions for Personal Data (\u201c<strong>PCPD<\/strong>\u201d) confirmed the PDPO is a principle-based legislation.\u00a0 PCPD issued a guideline specifically for \u201cMonitoring and Personal Data Privacy at Work\u201d.\u00a0 It outlines the best practices for employee monitoring while respecting personal data privacy with illustrative examples.\u00a0 It recommends employers consider whether monitoring is necessary and whether less intrusive options are available.\u00a0 If monitoring measures need to be put in place, it should be done with transparency and with due regard to safeguarding and deletion of such data.\u00a0 The guideline covers monitoring of telephone, email, internet and video, and emphasises compliance with the data protection principles. \u00a0It is a useful and elaborative guide for employers to implement monitoring measures as far as the law permits.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3490\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">PCPD also issued a publication on \u201cPhysical Tracking and Monitoring Through Electronic Devices\u201d which recognises the rise in tracking through electronic devices such as Wi-Fi transmitters and radio frequency identification tags.\u00a0 Employee monitoring by tracking physical location and behaviour can constitute collection of personal data which should also comply with data protection principles.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember3492\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">For more details about data privacy, please refer to our article on <a class=\"DZHnnrAbXeVuiFkPBfBjGXNSqtJxMHMIQUhc \" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/personal-data-privacy\/\" target=\"_self\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\">What you need to know about personal data privacy in Hong Kong<\/a>. For an update on guidance in relation to CCTV, drone, and in-vehicle camera use, please refer to our earlier article \u2013 <a class=\"DZHnnrAbXeVuiFkPBfBjGXNSqtJxMHMIQUhc \" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/theres-always-someone-watching-oceans-11-updated-privacy-commissioner-guidance-on-cctv-drone-and-in-vehicle-camera-use\/\" target=\"_self\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\">\u201cThere\u2019s always someone watching!\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong><em>Russell Bennett<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For more information on the above or any other enquiries, please contact:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/our-people\/russell-bennett\/\">Russell Bennett<\/a><br \/>Partner |\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:russellbennett@tannerdewitt.com\">Email<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Disclaimer: This publication is general in nature and is not intended to constitute legal advice. You should seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt with in this publication.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 A person\u2019s right to privacy in respect of their personal data is protected under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (\u201cPDPO\u201d). 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