香港互聯網協會(ISOC-HK) 一直有留意斯諾登事件的發展，和美國政府涉嫌在互聯網上收集大量的用戶資料一事。本會極度關注美國政府以至其他任何政府對本國公民進行的此類行為，互聯網協會最近發表的聲明「有關網絡隱私的公開對話」說得好，這類行為的沖擊不僅影響美國用戶和公司，對全球互聯網用戶均影響深遠。[1]

互聯網是全球性的，香港亦是不可或缺的一部份。ISOC-HK 珍惜個人隱私和互聯網自由兩項基本價值，會毫不猶豫地捍衛它們。個人隱私不僅是香港人權法案，也是香港基本法下保護的一個基本人權。[2] 保護其公民的安全是每一個主權國家負有的首要責任，而保障個人隱私和言論自由也是一個可信賴的、有效的和強有力的政府的基石。這一代的網民重視網絡空間的完全自主權，正如在物理世界一般。[3] 我們明白安全和個人隱私之間是要有平衡的，但這個代價必須是讓公民有知情權的情況下，由公民衡量評估才付出的。

正如互聯網協會上述聲明指出，真正的安全只能在更廣泛的信任和尊重基本權利之內實現。[4] 當政府在網絡空間執行不公正的收集、使用和披露個人資料時，它祇是鼓勵互聯網用戶不信任政府，並為自己構建更高的防禦力，使得政府的努力事倍功半，根本不可能達致一個雙贏的局面。

ISOC-HK 支持由政府和民間共同努力締造的網絡安全，而不是去犧牲互聯網用戶的隱私和自主權。我們相信，更好的網絡安全應該是讓網民有更大知情權，明白使用互聯網的風險，採用信息安全實踐和使用適當的技術來實現。互聯網是屬於每一個人，它的存在不祇是讓我們更有效地溝通，而是發展和改善我們的生活質素，要實現這個理想，有賴各方的衷誠合作，明確地具體地保障網絡隱私。

互聯網安全和隱私工作組 召集人

宋德嘉

The Internet Society Hong Kong, ISOC-HK, has been following the recent development of the Snowden incident and the alleged collection of vast amount of end user information over the Internet by the US Government. ISOC-HK is greatly concerned with such apparent acts not only by the US Government, but also any government on their citizens. It was well said in the recent statement by the Internet Society on Open Dialogue Regarding Online Privacy, “The impact of this action is not limited to U.S. users or companies, but has implications for Internet users around the globe”.[1]

The Internet is global and Hong Kong is a very part of that. Personal privacy and Internet freedom are two of the fundamental values that ISOC-HK treasures and would not hesitate for a mini-second to defend. Personal privacy is a basic human rights that is not only protected under our Hong Kong Bills of Rights Ordinance but also Hong Kong’s Basic Law.[2] The protection of safety of their citizens is a primary responsibility of every sovereign state, but the protection of the personal privacy and freedom of speech also form the basic building blocks of a trustworthy, effective, and strong government. Ensuring total autonomy over the cyberspace is equaled by this generation of netizens as the physical world of utmost importance.[3] We understand security comes at a cost, and this may include the undermining of our personal privacy. But this cost must be justly assessed at the public knowledge of its citizens before it is paid.

As rightly put by the ISOC Statement mentioned above, “real security can only be realized within a broader context of trust and the respect of fundamental rights”.[4] When governments perform unjust collection, use, and disclosure of personal information over the cyberspace, it would simply encourage the Internet users to distrust the government and construct higher defense of their own which renders the government’s effort less effective. So this is hardly a win-win situation.

ISOC-HK supports the efforts of better cyber security initiated by both the public and private sectors, but not at the sheer cost of the privacy and autonomy of the Internet users. We believe better cyber security should be achieved with better informed netizens on the risks of using the Internet, better adoption of information security practices, and use of appropriate technologies. The Internet is for Everyone and it is here not just for us to communicate more efficiently, but to develop and enhance the way we live. This can only be achieved by various parties working together in assuring a clear and realistic expectation of online privacy.

Chester Soong

Convener, Internet Security and Privacy Working Group

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