The Office for Personal Data Protection (the GPDP) held a discussion this morning (3 Aug) with six entities assigned by the competent organs of the government to collect citizens’ application forms for drawing on accounts under the Central Savings System (the Union General of Community Association of Macau, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, The Women's General Association of Macau, Caritas Macau, The Macau Chamber of Commerce, Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau), on data protection issues on the service of submitting citizens’ application forms. In the meeting it is confirmed that these entities are in the practice of collecting and submitting citizens’ application forms as a service rather than by requirement of the Social Security Fund. They should collect and handle only personal data that are necessary for the service, in compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act. Once the service is completed, the entities should destroy and delete the data within a reasonable period. In the case of data subjects being their members or clients, the entities should keep their data for this service separate from their data collected for other purposes. The entities should also take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the personal data in their possession. The GPDP advises that these entities formulate clearly and promptly their personal data processing policy for their services to ensure that data subjects’ rights to information, access, rectification and objection are properly exercised. The Office also suggests that the entities prepare their Statement on Personal Data Collection. As to the situation where it is difficult to forward the submission slips back to data subjects, the GPDP advises that the entities formulate their rules for handling such matters and keep the data subjects informed. The GPDP indicates that it will keep in contact with the entities and help them do a good job in personal data protection.
