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Hong Kong electoral office apologises after employee accidentally sends details of 15,000 voters to random email

  • Registration and Electoral Office says staff member sent files to unknown recipient after incorrectly typing personal email
  • Files contained Chinese and English names as well as residential addresses of about 15,000 electors

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A data leak at Hong Kong’s electoral office has exposed the personal details of 15,000 voters. Photo: Robert Ng

Hong Kong’s electoral office has apologised after an employee failed to follow guidelines and sent the personal details of about 15,000 voters to a random email address.

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The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) on Friday said the staff member intended to send files containing electors’ particulars to her personal email address on March 23.

An investigation found she typed in an incorrect email address and sent the data to the unknown recipient.

“The REO has immediately notified the recipient concerned via email to permanently delete the relevant files at once and contact the REO for follow-up,” the office said.

The employee was immediately removed from her duties and the incident was reported to police, it said.

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