Privacy: Hong Kong faces privacy law push after actor's nude picture exposee

Following a flurry of 1,300 pictures involving six actresses and singers, Hong Kong actor and singer Edison Chen Koon-hei has kept both internet sites and the Hong Kong police busy. Edison had been a busy boy and captured his exploits on his PC but all went wrong when he took it for repair and his catalogue of exploits found their way onto the web.

As Mediabeak understands it, the local law only becomes engaged when someone uploads obscene material or publishes it. The mere possesion or passing it to a third party without publication may not of itself be an offence. That said, the clips did make their way onto the internet much to the embarassment of all concerned. Edison Chen apologised for not taking greater care over the pictures earlier this month but the case rumbles on as the clips notch up star ratings on sites such as YouTube over which laws in all jurisdictions seem to have little sensible control.

According to reports in the Hong Kong publication the Standard, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Roderick Woo Bun has called for tougher privacy laws that would outlaw the passing or uploading of private information without the owner's consent. Good news for future Edison Chens and a law that would give the likes of Paris Hilton much comfort in western jurisdictions - though for now the UK Parliament has steered clear from.

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