The AA refused to disclose the identity of the supplier to reporters.
The Hong Kong Airport Authority originally added “face recognition” gates in January, instead of the previous airline staff to check passengers’ tickets and passports before boarding. However, a day before the introduction of the new measures, the Authority amended the relevant privacy provisions, so that passenger identification data can be sent to third-party vendors. The bureau also refused to disclose the identity of the supplier to reporters.
Following the addition of self-service security gates at the airport in 2018, Hong Kong Airport added a new self-service check-in gate on Jan. 5, which uses face recognition technology to verify the identity of passengers.
AA changes privacy statement to allow information to be handed over to third parties
However, the privacy policy statement related to the gates was updated on January 4, and the reporter used the “Internet Archive” to find the old version dated June 28, 2019, and found that the privacy of passengers was reduced under comparison. In comparison with the updated version, the old version states that personal information will not be provided to third parties unless previously agreed to by the passenger. Even when data is transferred to a third party, it is anonymous and the third party cannot identify the passenger.
However, the new version states that third party service providers appointed by the AA may be provided with personal data by the AA. The “passenger consent clause” and the “anonymous data only” clause have been removed.
In addition, the old version stated that the purposes of using personal data only included verification of passengers’ right to enter restricted areas of the airport and statistical and analytical purposes. The new version adds new purposes, including “safeguarding aviation and airport security”, but does not elaborate on the meaning of “security”.
Unlike the previous AA refused to disclose the identity of the supplier
The reporter asked the AA new gates supplier identity, the AA refused to disclose. Compared to the old airport, the self-service security gates set up at the entrance to the restricted area, the old and new gates are using biometric and contactless technology, the Bureau has announced to the Legislative Council the old gates related suppliers for NEC Hong Kong Ltd.
The first self-service gates are located at gates 10 to 36 of Terminal 1, while other gates will be installed in phases. The self-service gates are part of the airport’s $9 billion renovation project.
The first self-service gates will be installed at gates 10 to 36 of Terminal 1, while other gates will be installed in phases. (AA photo)
Wong Ho Wah criticized the sudden removal of anonymity is suspicious
Information technology sector elector Wong Ho Wah said to this station, the authorities deleted the “anonymous information” provisions, suspicious. He said that banks or network companies will collect personal information that has not been anonymized, only internal communication or customer contact, but he questioned the automatic gate provider, according to the reason no longer need to have contact with passengers.
Wong Ho Wah said: In fact, this is very scary. Because anonymization is to protect the security of personal data, you see his purpose, before and after the compilation of statistics, or optimize business, improve operations, which is understood. But the previous version stressed that it will do anonymization, and then do statistical data analysis, but now there is no longer this. Will the security of personal data be reduced? It is possible.
Wong Ho Wah believes that although the authorities said that the information will be deleted seven days after the departure of the flight, but questioned how to ensure that third parties have deleted, and therefore believe that anonymity should be maintained. He also believes that passengers at the airport by face recognition, technically can track the whereabouts after, inevitably people feel scared.
The AA said that the AA takes strict measures to ensure data security, the information will be encrypted and stored in the server located at the airport. (AA photo)
Wan Siu Kin: increase surveillance and clampdown
Democratic Party former Member of Parliament Wan Siu Kin also criticized, do not understand why now boarding and face recognition, that the authorities are redundant, increased surveillance and clampdown.
Wan Siu Kin said: a small number of melon field, “sneaky steal sweet potato”, not willing to say who is ???? The operator, with his exit when ???? The information of the operator can be openly handled in an obviously different way, giving people a kind of melon field, whether there is an ulterior motive. Even about boarding before this face recognition will be another means of monitoring more than other purposes it.
AA: identifiable information can be deleted after 7 days from Hong Kong
AA said, AA to take strict measures to ensure data security, the information will be encrypted and stored on the server located at the airport, rather than the cloud server or external service providers system. All identifiable data will be automatically deleted from the system seven days after the passenger leaves Hong Kong on the flight, and third-party service providers must follow the same policy. The Airport Authority has an established process for public tender and appointment of contractors.
In addition, passengers are free to use the traditional manual check-in channels and have their travel documents and boarding passes manually verified by airline staff before boarding.
The reporter also checked the information and found that Cathay Pacific had conducted a large-scale trial with the AA as early as May last year, involving 200 Cathay Pacific colleagues. The reporter asked Cathay Pacific for more details, but had not received a reply by press Time.
The reporter also looked up the information and found that Cathay Pacific had conducted a large-scale trial with the AA as early as May last year, with 200 Cathay Pacific colleagues participating.
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