Hong Kong lawmakers, taxi trade leaders back camera systems in cabs, but with caveats
Rules needed to control who can access footage and for what reasons, they say, while noting public is already used to widespread monitoring
Legislator Doreen Kong Yuk-foon also said on Monday the videos should be sent directly to a secure, central storage cloud that would not be easily accessible by even the drivers themselves.
“There is a level of privacy concern, so it is necessary for the government to explain the parameters of the law,” she said. “Otherwise, say I am a businessman or even just someone who wants to talk on the phone, I would have concerns about my recorded conversations.”
Kong said she believed the recordings should only be used for cases related to poor service complaints and the government should pay for the installation of the cameras.
“If you are the one making the requirement, then you should at least provide some support,” she said.
In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Monday, the Transport and Logistics Bureau said it aimed to ensure in-car surveillance cameras, dashcam recorders and GPS tracking were installed in all taxis by the end of 2026 to deter inappropriate behaviour by drivers, such as overcharging and taking detours.
