an essay of Hong Kong Land Use

In 2010, Octopus Company took “cooperation with the partners” to make use of clients’ personal data and get the commission. Although Octopus Company claimed that they had obtained agreement to persons involved, because Octopus card holders had agreed the “personal data policy”. However, as a matter of fact that lots of card holders did not read the policy, at an obscure spot in the right lower part of the company's home page, we can find a link about "personal data policy”. It is a long document in small print which is as to what Octopus Company does with personal data. According to the document, the one of the items is that "designing new or improving existing services provided by us, our subsidiaries and our affiliates for customers' use", (MP English, 2010) it also includes that "designing new or improving existing services provided by us, our subsidiaries and our affiliates for customers' use"(MP English, 2010) and "marketing of goods and/or services by us, our subsidiaries, our affiliates or any of our selected business partners"(MP English, 2010). The marketing behavior had drawn public attention.

Needless to say, the firm of the marketing activity about selling the personal data for other companies is for earning more profit. However, some may argue that we should take the company perception into our consideration, what the sources of income come from Octopus Company? According to Headline Daily, personal data selling had been occupied one-third of the total income. In their view, same behavior is so popular in bank industry. Above all, they also think that it can contribute people to acquire newest different products and services information to promote other business development. Therefore, it seems to them that it is reasonable and acceptable for Octopus Company to keep the Octopus system running.

Nonetheless, in ethical aspect, under no circumstance should we take any excuses of personal data selling before obtaining agreement of card holder. So