The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) on Thursday said the number of doxxing cases uncovered by the PCPD's online patrols this year had dropped by 90 percent compared with the same period when anti-doxxing provisions started in 2022.

Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung said they handled 803 doxxing cases in the first eight months of 2022, while only 80 cases this year. She also said that there was a 40 percent decrease in doxxing-related complaints with 421 in the first eight months of 2022, and only 270 this year.

"I think that it is primarily because of our ongoing enforcement actions, publicity and education work, coupled with a more congenial atmosphere in society. I believe that this all contributed to a significant decrease in the number of doxxing cases found on the Internet every year since the commencement of the anti-doxing regime in Hong Kong," she said.

"I believe that so long as we continue with all these efforts, the numbers will further drop in the years to come."

She said the PCPD had initiated 363 criminal investigations with 88 cases referred to the police, and they mounted a total of 58 arrest operations with 59 suspects arrested.

"I would say that doxxing is a serious offence and it attracts an immediate custodial sentence. In one of the cases, the court sentenced the defendant in question to eight months imprisonment right away," she said.

"This carries a very strong signal to society that doxxing is a serious offence."

Chung added their work to crack down on doxxing acts had not affected freedom of speech nor had it affected the lawful operation of online platforms in Hong Kong.