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Updates on the Unsolicited Electronic Messages
(UEM) Bill
Being one of the advocates of anti-spamming, I do
welcome the UEM bill was passed last Wednesday.
The highlights include:
- regulating e-messages of a commercial nature, i.e.
the content of the message is about offering or promoting
goods or services for furtherance of business.
- regulating any forms of e-messages, including email,
fax, SMS, voice / video calls, but NOT person-to-person
messages.
- regulating any messages that have a "Hong Kong link",
i.e. UEMs originating from or sent to Hong Kong.
- establishing 3 "Do-not-call Registers", maintained
and operated by the OFTA
In response to the worries from the ICT sector, I have
expressed their concern to the government on the excessive
fine under the “Clause 36 – Offence relating to enforcement
notices”. As per the government's response, a financial
penalty imposed on a telecommunications service provider under
the “Clause 33 A – Authority may impose financial penalties”
shall not exceed:
- $50,000
for the first occasion on which a financial penalty is so
imposed;
- $100,000 for the second occasion on which a financial
penalty is so imposed;
- $200,000 for any subsequent occasion on which a
financial penalty is so imposed
I expect the number of nuisance e-messages will be
reduced by 80% once the law comes to operation, which is
expected in the second half of this year. The time used for
deleting the spam can be reduced for certain. And the ICT
sector will suffer less from the extra costs spent on
anti-spamming tools and on upgrading the network
capacity.
The enforcement actions will be the most challenging
task afterward. Better attention should be paid on the
complaint mechanism in order to ensure its well functioning.
As an example, the Australian authority received more than
eleven-million spam e-mails reports (till the end of 2006)
since the commencement of Spam Act 2003 that
means almost ten-thousand cases reported everyday. The
government thus should do for the next is to evaluate the
difficulties on the law enforcement. And, a review on work
effectiveness on a regular basis is recommended in order to
keep pace with the technology development.
The passing of the UEM Bill is a good start. It can
strike a balance between allowing e-marketing, respecting the
right of recipients and slashing the number of spam. To share
your views on this topic, please drop me a few lines at cksin@sinchungkai.org.hk.
CK
Sin
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Panels
Panel
on Information Technology and Broadcasting
Next meeting: 11 June 2007 [Agenda]
- Report
on the review of administration of Internet domain names in
Hong Kong
- Progress in the implementation of digital terrestrial
television broadcasting in Hong Kong
- Release
of spectrum for broadband wireless access services
- Review
on the Convergence of Fixed and Mobile Communications
Services
Bill
Committees
Council questions
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News
Petition for a change in name of the proposed
new Bureau
Technology is important to society and such notion
should be reflected in the name of government bureau. Do
support the petition to urge the Government to rename the
‘Commerce and Economic Development Bureau’ as
‘Economy, Commerce and Technology
Bureau’. TAKE ACTION NOW AND MADE YOUR VOICE
HEARD!
Invitation for
Submissions (Panel on ITB)
The panel of
ITB will hold a public hearing on the implementation of
digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting in Hong
Kong. Interested parties please send their submission to mleung@legco.gov.hk by
4 June 2007. For details, please refer to here.
The panel of ITB will hold
another public hearing on the proposed allocation of spectrum
for broadband wireless access (BWA) deployment and related
issues. Interested parties please send their submission to mleung@legco.gov.hk by
4 June 2007. For details, please refer to here.
Consultation Paper on
allocation of spectrum for Broadband Wireless
Access
The consultation aimed at seeking views on the
allocation of spectrum for BWA. Submissions can be sent to bwa3con@ofta.gov.hk
by 11 July 2007.
Further Public Consultation on Draft
Competition Guidelines
The consultation paper regards draft guidelines
on prohibiting anti-competitive conduct by telecommunications
licensees. All views and submissions should be sent to cab@ofta.gov.hk by 6
July 2007.
Activities
Information Security Certification and Data
Protection Seminar
The seminar is organized by HKCERT, OGCIO and Hong Kong
Police Force. It aims at introducing various information
security certifications and data protection problems to the
public.
| Date |
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Session 1 -
31 May 2007 (Thu) |
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Session 2 - 20 Jun 2007
(Wed) |
| Time |
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09:20 – 17:15 |
| Venue |
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Session 1 -
4/F, HKPC Building, 78 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon
Tong |
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Session 2 - 5/F Sheung Wan Municipal
Services Building, 345 Queen's Road Central,
HK |
| Fee |
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Free of
Charge (Registration Required) |
| Details &
Registration |
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Please click
here | |  
My column @
Wen Wei Po
- Time to block
the e-waste by legislation (11 May 2007)
- To popularize
ICT (18 May 2007)
If you like to
comment on my articles, please drop me a few lines of words. (column@sinchungkai.org.hk) 
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As an elected legislator, I
always love to know your views. If you have anything would
like to share with me, you can either email me or make an
appointment for an office visit or home visit. Please leave
your name, contact number, and discussion topic via email, and my
office will follow up your request with phone calls
accordingly.
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