Strict Protection of Personal Data

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) conducts a variety of surveys in which some personal data may be collected from the respondents. Do you know how C&SD protects your personal data? Let’s check it out from the following conversations!
Citizen : Citizen          census officer : Census officer
User IconIf I participate in the survey of C&SD, do I need to provide a lot of personal data?

Bot IconDon’t worry! C&SD strictly complies with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and will only collect adequate but not excessive amount of personal data to facilitate data collection and compilation of statistics. C&SD will definitely not collect sensitive information such as Hong Kong Identity Card numbers and bank account numbers from the respondents.
User IconHow long will the data provided be retained? Will it be deleted after the completion of the survey?

Bot IconC&SD has a policy on the retention of personal data records and the data retention period is clearly stated in the Personal Information Collection Statement (PICS) of various statistical surveys. After the retention period, the data will be permanently destroyed.
User IconWill you share my personal data with others? I don’t want my data be revealed to others!

Bot IconPlease be assured that all personal data provided by respondents will not be transferred to third parties unless this has been set out in the PICS.
User IconHow will you protect my personal data from being leaked?

Bot IconC&SD adopts multiple layers of security measures, including the formulation of security policies and procedures, the use of technology and the promotion of security awareness among staff, to protect your personal data and prevent data leakage. For example,
  • only a small number of staff have authorised access to respondents' personal data;
  • all census officers are required to sign a ‘Declaration of Secrecy’ and undergo relevant training before they can start discharging their duties;
  • all data collected is encrypted and anonymised to minimise the risk and impact of leakage, etc.
User IconThank you for the explanation. It’s pretty safe to share my data with you.


C&SD places great importance on personal privacy and has taken various measures to ensure that personal data is fully protected and that each data provider can complete the statistical surveys with confidence. To learn more about C&SD’s policies and practices in relation to personal data, please read C&SD’s Privacy Policy.
FUNG Wing-ngai, Jackie
Statistician / Data Protection Officer (Non-employment-related)
3 March 2025