Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong, China wins at GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026
The Office secured accolades for its guidelines on GenAI use in the workplace and deepfake toolkit for schools and parents.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong, China (PCPD) won Hong Kong Governance Project of the Year - Regulatory and Hong Kong Outreach Project of the Year - Regulatory in the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026. The dual win highlights the PCPD’s efforts in addressing emerging risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) whilst safeguarding personal data privacy.
According to a survey conducted by the PCPD earlier, whilst enterprises showed an increased use of generative AI (gen AI), adoption had outpaced governance. Only 28% of enterprises that used AI had established AI security policies. This gap between adoption and safeguards led to requests for practical assistance on the safe use of AI, particularly through guidance materials to support responsible deployment. In response, the PCPD published the “Checklist on Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI by Employees” (Guidelines) in March 2025.
Instead of taking the form of a conventional narrative note, the Guidelines provide an operational tool, translating privacy expectations of the internal governance of the use of gen AI among employees into a practical checklist. This format assists organisations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises with limited resources, in developing internal policies or guidelines on the use of gen AI by employees at work whilst complying with the requirements of the local privacy law, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Subsequent local compliance checks revealed a high degree of uptake, with over 90% of the surveyed organisations with AI systems either referring to the PCPD’s guidance materials on AI, including the Guidelines or planning to do so when devising their AI governance policies or guidelines.
To support the launch of the Guidelines, the PCPD has engaged in extensive outreach efforts, including speaking at numerous seminars and attending interviews on radio programmes. Introductory videos on the publication in both English and Chinese attracted significant public interest across both local and global audiences. Global data protection authorities have also expressed interest in adapting the publication into a globally applicable version.
Alongside the Guidelines, the PCPD recognised the risks brought by deepfakes, in particular the impact on the younger generations, and published the “Abuse of AI Deepfakes: Toolkit for Schools and Parents” (Toolkit) in December 2025. The Toolkit provides practical advice to schools and parents, with a view to assisting them in handling deepfake incidents involving children and young people, as well as safeguarding their privacy in relation to personal data. Since publishing the Toolkit, the PCPD has undertaken sustained outreach efforts to explain its practical recommendations and promote its adoption amongst schools and parents. The Privacy Commissioner has introduced the Toolkit at seminars attended by hundreds of principals, vice-principals, and teachers, and has also enhanced public awareness, including amongst parents, through media interviews. The response has been very encouraging. Schools have engaged directly with the PCPD to explore implementation of the recommended measures, reflecting a heightened awareness of the risks posed by malicious use of technology.
Taken together, these initiatives by the PCPD reflect its efforts to equip organisations and communities with practical tools to manage AI-related risks. Whilst specific contexts, and therefore recommendations, may vary, the need for responsible and privacy-protective use of technology is crucial across sectors.
GovMedia Conference & Awards gives recognition to the trends and best practices that transform the public sector in the Asia Pacific. The awards programme promotes excellence and provides a platform for exemplary government initiatives.
The GovMedia Conference & Awards is presented by GovMedia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be recognised for your organisation's government projects and initiatives, please contact Marni Marco at +(65) 3158 1386 and [email protected].
