The government might establish an independent agency that would be in charge of personal data protection, the Executive Yuan told a news conference after a Cabinet meeting yesterday morning.
The announcement was made after data breaches were reported at China Airlines, Car-Plus Auto Leasing Corp and vehicle-sharing platform iRent.
The Constitutional Court in August last year ruled that the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) and other laws must adhere to the Constitution by including an independent oversight mechanism to ensure that personal data privacy is protected.
Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan
It further mandated the government to implement such mechanisms through a new law or amendments to existing laws within three years.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) has asked ministers without portfolio Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成), Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) and Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) to investigate how such a legal mechanism should be implemented, Executive Yuan spokesperson Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) told reporters, adding that the changes are also required by the National Human Rights Action Plan.
“It is essential that the mechanism operates independently,” Chen Tsung-yen said. “Having a specific agency in charge of personal data-related issues is an option, but we will make further announcements after the three ministers without portfolio have reviewed all possible options.”
Agencies that oversee laws related to the security and maintenance of personal data are required to report any major data breach to the Executive Yuan immediately, Chen Tsung-yen said.
Agencies must cooperate with officials at the Ministry of Digital Affairs and National Institute of Cyber Security as they conduct inspections and investigations, which would occur within three days after an incident is reported, he added.
A written report on any incident must be completed within 10 days after it was reported, he said, adding that it should be discussed at a Cabinet-level meeting within two weeks.
Meanwhile, Ho Ing Mobility Service, a subsidiary of automotive conglomerate Hotai Motor Co that runs iRent, was yesterday fined NT$200,000 by the Directorate-General of Highways for allowing the public release of personal information of 400,000 users, including their names, mobile phone numbers, home addresses and payment information.
“We found through an inspection last week that the company did not have a comprehensive data security and maintenance plan, which consequently caused its user data to be compromised. The platform operator was fined NT$200,000 for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act,” the highway authority said.
The company was also ordered to submit supporting documents to show that it has fully addressed the data breach, the agency said.
The documents must be received before the 228 Peace Memorial Day, it added.
A tropical depression in waters east of the Philippines could develop into a tropical storm as soon as today and bring rainfall as it approaches, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, while issuing heat warnings for 14 cities and counties. Weather model simulations show that there are still considerable differences in the path that the tropical depression is projected to take. It might pass through the Bashi Channel to the South China Sea or turn northeast and move toward the sea south of Japan, CWA forecaster Yeh Chih-chun (葉致均) said, adding that the uncertainty of its movement is still high,
TAIWANESE INNOVATION: The ‘Seawool’ fabric generates about NT$200m a year, with the bulk of it sourced by clothing brands operating in Europe and the US Growing up on Taiwan’s west coast where mollusk farming is popular, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells transformed from waste to function — a memory that inspired him to create a unique and environmentally friendly fabric called “Seawool.” Wang remembered that residents of his seaside hometown of Yunlin County used discarded oyster shells that littered the streets during the harvest as insulation for their homes. “They burned the shells and painted the residue on the walls. The houses then became warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” the 42-year-old said at his factory in Tainan. “So I was
THE TOUR: Pope Francis has gone on a 12-day visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore. He was also invited to Taiwan The government yesterday welcomed Pope Francis to the Asia-Pacific region and said it would continue extending an invitation for him to visit Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the remarks as Pope Francis began a 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific on Monday. He is to travel about 33,000km by air to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, and would arrive back in Rome on Friday next week. It would be the longest and most challenging trip of Francis’ 11-year papacy. The 87-year-old has had health issues over the past few years and now uses a wheelchair. The ministry said
Discounted 72-hour Taipei Metro passes are to be offered to China Airlines passengers until Feb. 28 next year, the airline announced today. China Airlines passengers may present their boarding pass for a discount of up to 34 percent when buying a Taipei Metro 72-hour unlimited travel pass. The offer is available to international travelers on international flights bound for Taipei. Within seven days of arrival, travelers can present their boarding pass, passport and proof of flight payment at an EZfly counter in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport or Taoyuan MRT Taipei Main Station to obtain the discounted passes, the airline said. One 72-hour pass
RSS