Terms of Use for MyGovHK

1. The following are the terms and conditions (the "Terms") for the Use of MyGovHK operated by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer of the Government (the "Government") of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ("Hong Kong"). The Government agrees to provide services of MyGovHK (the "Portal") and you, as the user of the Portal, agree to use the services of the Portal in accordance with the Terms set out herein.

MyGovHK – The Portal

2. The Portal is a web site of an integrated online service delivery platform which its user (including a MyGovHK account holder) may use any of the services provided therein ("service") in accordance with the Terms set out herein.

Services and functions provided in the Portal

3. The services in the Portal are provided on an "AS IS" basis. Procedures may be provided for the use of any of the services from time to time as the Government sees necessary. Notwithstanding anything provided herein, the Government may add, modify, suspend and/or terminate any services (including without limitation the Link up, Easy sign-on, Auto-fill (previously Pre-filling) and Email alert functions) and any procedures for the use of such services without giving any prior notice to any user (including a MyGovHK account holder).

MyGovHK account

4. You may create a MyGovHK account by clicking the "Create Account" button in the Portal and following the steps as provided therein.

5. By creating a MyGovHK account, you agree to be bound by the Terms relating to the use of the MyGovHK account as set out herein.

6. You agree that a MyGovHK account shall only be created for your own use and you shall not create any MyGovHK account for and on behalf of another person.

7. If you create a MyGovHK account, an account activation code will be sent to your email address as you have provided during your creation of your MyGovHK account. If you have also provided your mobile phone number during your creation of your MyGovHK account, another account activation code will be sent to your mobile phone via Short Message Services (SMS). You must use the account activation code(s) to activate your MyGovHK account in accordance with the procedure provided in the Portal.

8. By activating your MyGovHK account, you become a MyGovHK account holder. Being a MyGovHK account holder, you may use any specific services of the Portal by logging into your MyGovHK account with your user name (as you have adopted for creation of your MyGovHK account) and the password or your recognised digital certificate issued by a recognised certification authority, in accordance with the procedure provided in the Portal.

9. You must keep confidential your user name and password of your MyGovHK account. Other than through (a) the MyGovHK password input screen(s); and (b) those B/D's online services that allow you to sign electronically with your MyGovHK password, you would not be asked to provide the password of your MyGovHK account.

Link up and Easy sign-on function

10. A "B/D's online service" means an online service provided by a bureau or department "(B/D)" of the Government.

11. A "B/D's online service account" refers to an online service account of B/D created by a user directly at the website of the related B/D for the purpose of using the B/D's online service(s) by logging into the relevant B/D's online service account which enables a user to independently access the B/D's online service(s) directly at the relevant B/D's website without logging into the user's MyGovHK account.

12. "Link up" means, in respect of a B/D's online service account and a MyGovHK account, establishing a link between a B/D's online service account and a MyGovHK account to allow the MyGovHK account holder to access the B/D's online service via the Easy sign-on function of the Portal. For B/D's online service which does not have its service specific user name and password but solely relies on users to sign-on with their MyGovHK user names and passwords in order to use the B/D's online service, "Link up" means establishing a link between a MyGovHK account and such B/D's online service (see paragraph 20 below).

13. "Linked" means, in respect of a B/D's online service and a MyGovHK account, a link has been established between a B/D's online service and a MyGovHK account to allow the MyGovHK account holder to access the B/D's online service via the Easy sign-on function of the Portal.

14. "Linked B/D's online service" means a B/D's online service of which a MyGovHK account holder has established a Link up.

15. "Easy sign-on function" means the service in the Portal which enables a MyGovHK account holder, whose MyGovHK account has been linked up with a B/D's online service, to access the Linked B/D's online service after logging into his MyGovHK account without the need of entering the user name and password of the B/D's online service account of the MyGovHK account holder.

16. "Use of MyGovHK profile data by Bureaux and Departments" is a document setting out the data (including without limitation Hong Kong Identity Card number etc) that are required by each individual B/D to be kept in the personal profile of a MyGovHK account and be transferred/used by the Portal for (a) initiating a Link up between a MyGovHK account and each individual B/D's online service or (b) accessing the Linked B/D's online service via the Easy sign-on function by the MyGovHK account holder.

17. "MyGovHK profile data" means the data (including without limitation Hong Kong Identity Card number etc) kept in the personal profile of a MyGovHK account.

18. You, as a MyGovHK account holder, may establish a Link up between your MyGovHK account and any B/D's online service, provided that the B/D's online service supports Easy sign-on. For establishing a Link up and for any subsequent use of a Linked B/D's online service, you agree that relevant information/data kept in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account may be transferred to or used by the Government (including the B/D concerned and the Portal) in accordance with the Terms set out herein.

19. You may establish a Link up if the data as required for the Link up by the relevant B/D are kept in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account (See the "Use of MyGovHK profile data by Bureaux and Departments" at www.personalised.gov.hk/content/en/doc/datamatrix.pdf).

20. Some B/Ds' online services allow the MyGovHK account holder to use the B/D's online service by signing on to such B/D's online service with the MyGovHK account holders' user name and password for his MyGovHK account. In other words, the MyGovHK account holder does not need to create a B/D's online service account (with a service specific user name and password) for the use of such B/D's online service.

21. Some B/Ds may require the MyGovHK account holder to create a B/D's online service account at each of their websites before the MyGovHK account holder may establish a Link up between his MyGovHK account and his B/D's online service account created at the website of the B/D concerned.

22. If any of your MyGovHK profile data, which is required for the purpose of the Link up with a B/D's online service (see paragraphs 18 - 19 above), has been revised, the Link up established in the Portal for such online service may be suspended. After suspension of the Link up, you will not be able to access the Linked B/D's online service by using the Easy sign-on function until corresponding change is made to the original data, which has been kept in the B/D's online service but was not revised as in your personal profile of your MyGovHK account. Enquiry may be made with the B/D concerned as to how corresponding changes may be made to the data kept in the online service concerned.

23. Depending on the requirements of a B/D, the data needed for a Link up with any of its online service may change from time to time. The MyGovHK account holder shall in response to the change (if made) revise or include additional information (including any data needed) in the personal profile of his MyGovHK account so that his use of the Linked B/D's online service will not be interrupted (see paragraphs 18 - 19 above). A new version of the "Use of MyGovHK profile data by Bureaux and Departments" would be issued and posted up in the Notice Board of the Portal two weeks before any changes made in respect of the data needed for a Link up become effective. You must check the latest version of the "Use of MyGovHK profile data by Bureaux and Departments" for the details.

24. The Link up established by you may be terminated with immediate effect if

  • (a) you click on the "Delink" button in the Portal and confirm your intention to terminate the Link up in respect of the B/D's online service concerned;
  • (b) it is considered to be unsafe to allow further use of the Easy sign-on function of the Portal to access the B/D's online service concerned;
  • (c) your MyGovHK account is terminated;
  • (d) your B/D's online service account is terminated; or
  • (e) circumstances as referred to in paragraph 33 below occur.

25. After termination of your established Link up made in respect of your MyGovHK account and the B/D's online service concerned, you will not be able to access the B/D's online service by using the Easy sign-on function in the Portal. You will have to establish a fresh Link up with the B/D's online service if you wish to use the Easy sign-on function of the Portal to access the B/D's online service again.

26. While you may access the B/D's online service by using the Easy sign-on function of the Portal, there may be circumstances where you may not be able to access the B/D's online service through the Portal, for example, interruption of the Portal or termination of your MyGovHK account. If individual B/D's online service has its own set of user name and password, you must keep the user name and password of your B/D's online service account so that you will be able to log into your B/D's online service account if the Portal is temporarily out of service or the Link up made in respect of the B/D's online service account concerned through the Portal is suspended, interrupted or terminated.

Auto-fill function

27. "Auto-fill function" (previously "Pre-filling function") is a service provided by the Portal whereby information required to be provided in a government form or web page (e.g. for making an application to a B/D by a MyGovHK account holder) will be pre-filled in the government form or web page if the relevant information is available in the profile data of the MyGovHK account holder and the Auto-fill function is activated. The MyGovHK account holder may edit or revise any of such pre-filled data as appeared in the government form or web page as he sees appropriate.

28. A MyGovHK account holder may use the Auto-fill function on any government forms and web pages that support the Auto-fill function. Steps for triggering the Auto-fill function are provided in each individual government form or web page.

29. No Auto-fill function may be used unless you have kept in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account the data/information as required to be provided in a government form or web page. You are advised to update the MyGovHK profile data in your MyGovHK account in order to maximize the use of the Auto-fill function of the Portal.

Email alert function

30. Messages of the Government may be sent (including without limitation messages concerning Linked B/D's online service sent by B/Ds) to your MyGovHK message box in the Portal. You may access your MyGovHK message box after you have logged into your MyGovHK account. When your MyGovHK message box in the Portal receives a message, an alert message may be issued to you by e-mail to the email address provided in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account notifying you the receipt of the message in your MyGovHK message box. In this connection, you must keep and update the email address in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account so that an alert message may be sent to you from time to time.

31. When you revise your password, email address, mobile phone number, secret question and answer in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account, or when you attach a digital certificate to your MyGovHK account, or when you delete your MyGovHK account, an alert message (generated by the Portal) will be sent to you by e-mail to the email address as provided by you in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account acknowledging your revision made to such information.

Maintenance of MyGovHK account

32. You may click the "My Settings" link in the Portal and edit your MyGovHK profile data and the password of your MyGovHK account in accordance with the procedure provided.

33. In case you forget the password of your MyGovHK account, you may click the "Can't log in?" link in the Portal and reset your password in accordance with the procedure provided. Depending on any consideration (e.g. security of data) of each individual B/D, your established Link up in the Portal made in respect of each individual B/D's online service may be terminated without any notice to you and thereafter you would not be able to use the Easy sign-on function in the Portal to gain access to a B/D's online service and would have to establish a fresh Link up (see paragraph 25 above).

The Privacy Policy

34. The Government is concerned to ensure that all personal data submitted through and stored in the Portal are handled in strict adherence to the relevant provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap 486) ("the PD(P)O") (see www.pcpd.org.hk).

Personal Information Collection Statement

35. The information you provided in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account will be used to support:

  • (a) the Link up between your MyGovHK account and individual B/D's online service (see paragraph 12);
  • (b) the Easy sign-on function of the Portal (see paragraph 15); and
  • (c) the Auto-fill function of the portal (see paragraphs 27-29).

36. Information (including personal data) kept in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account may be retained by the Government after termination of the MyGovHK account for matters arising out of or in relation to your use of the Portal or B/D's online service before termination of the account.

Access and correction of personal data

37. If you maintain a personal profile in your MyGovHK account, you may access and correct the information/data kept in the personal profile by logging into your MyGovHK account and clicking the "My Settings" link in the Portal (see paragraph 32 above).

38. If your MyGovHK account is terminated and personal data kept in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account are retained by the Government (see paragraph 36 above), you may request access to or correction of your personal data, by sending a data access request to the GovHK Help Desk via email at enquiry@1835500.gov.hk.

Sharing of personal data

39. Provision of any of your MyGovHK profile data in your MyGovHK account is voluntary.

40. Relevant information/data as contained in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account will be transferred to or used by the B/D concerned and the Portal for establishing and using a Link up made between your MyGovHK account and individual B/D's online service concerned. (see paragraph 18 above.)

41. You hereby give consent to the Government for the transfer or use of information/data kept in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account for the purposes of using any service of the Portal (including the Link up, Easy sign-on and Auto-fill functions). Please check the document, namely "Use of MyGovHK profile data by Bureaux and Departments" for information/data as required by each B/D for the purpose of the Link up made or to be made in respect of your MyGovHK account and the B/D's online service.

42. You hereby give consent to the Government for the transfer or use of your digital certificate attached to your MyGovHK account to the B/D concerned when establishing a Link up between your MyGovHK account and the B/D's online service or when using the Link up to access the Linked B/D's online service via the Easy sign-on function.

43. You hereby give consent to the Government for retention of information (including your personal data) contained in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account after termination of the account for matters arising out of or in relation to the use of the Portal and the B/D's online service.

44. When you change any of your MyGovHK profile data in your MyGovHK account, a notice may be generated automatically by the Portal to inform the B/Ds concerned (i.e. those B/D's the online service which you have established a Link up with your MyGovHK account) of the change to your MyGovHK profile data. No specific information, i.e. any particular changes made by you to your MyGovHK profile data will be included in the notice to the B/Ds concerned. You are therefore advised to inform each of the B/D concerned whenever you make any changes to your MyGovHK profile data (including personal data) so that you can use the Link up service and Easy sign-on function of the Portal without interruption (see paragraph 22 above).

45. B/Ds have been informed that any personal data that have been transferred to them via any MyGovHK account shall be used and kept in accordance with the requirements under the PD(P)O and that any request for the access to or correction of the said personal data shall be made with the B/Ds concerned.

Cookies

46. A cookie is a small amount of data created in a computer when a person visits a website through the computer. It often includes an anonymous unique identifier. A cookie can be used to identify a computer, or to temporarily store non-personal information required by an online service. It is not used by the Portal to collect any personal information. It does not have the function of identifying an individual user of the Portal.

47. Cookies are used by the Portal. No personal information is contained in the cookies generated by the Portal. If you configure your browser to reject cookies, you will not be able to use the Portal.

JavaScript

48. The Portal requires JavaScript to function properly. If you disable JavaScript on your computer, you will not be able to use the Portal.

Collection of Other Information

49. You may input your interests in your MyGovHK account. The purpose of collecting such information is for the Government to consider how the delivery of relevant contents and online services can be improved. If you have selected to receive specific information from the Government, the Government may pass messages/information of your interest to you from time to time. You may access "My Subscriptions" and indicate the information you wish to receive.

Disclaimer

50. Unless provided otherwise in the Terms, the information on MyGovHK is provided to you on an "AS IS" basis without any express or implied warranty or representation of any kind and is for a general, indicative purpose only. In particular, the Government does not make any express or implied warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, reliability, security or timeliness of such information. The Government will not be liable for any errors in, omissions from, or misstatements or misrepresentations (whether express or implied) concerning any such information, and will not have or accept any liability, obligation or responsibility whatsoever for any loss, destruction or damage (including without limitation consequential loss, destruction or damage) however arising from or in respect of any use or misuse of or reliance on, inability to use or the unavailability of the Portal or any information and services delivered on the Portal. The Government does not warrant or represent that the Portal or any information or any electronic data or information transmitted to you through the Portal is free of computer viruses. The Government shall not be liable for any loss, destruction or damage arising out of or in relation to any transmission from users to the Government or vice versa over the internet.

51. The Government will not have or accept any liability, obligation or responsibility whatsoever for any loss, destruction or damage (including without limitation consequential loss, destruction or damage) however arising from or in respect of any use or misuse of or reliance on the Portal or B/Ds' online service accessed through the Portal, or system downtime of the Portal.

52. The Portal may contain materials contributed by third parties. To facilitate access to information provided by or via third parties, the Portal may provide or assist in providing links (both surface links and deep links) to external websites through its webpages. The Government has not approved or endorsed the materials contributed by third parties on the Portal or any external websites linked to the Portal. The provision of any such materials or links to external websites shall not constitute any form of co-operation or affiliation with the Government of any such third parties or external websites. Provision of, or assistance in providing, materials contributed by third parties on the Portal or links to external websites gives rise to no statement, representation or warranty, express or implied, that the Government agrees or does not disagree with the contents of any such materials or external websites and the Government will not have or accept any liability, obligation or responsibility whatsoever for any loss, destruction or damage (including without limitation consequential loss, destruction or damage) however arising from or in respect of any use or misuse of or reliance on the contents of any such materials or external websites delivered on or via the Portal or inability to use any of them.

53. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing on or provided via the Portal shall constitute, give rise to or otherwise imply any endorsement, approval or recommendation on the Government's part of any third party, be it a provider of goods or services or otherwise.

54. The Government is not responsible for any loss or damage whatsoever arising out of or in relation to any information on the Portal. The Government reserves the right to omit, suspend or edit all information compiled by the Government on the Portal at any time in its sole discretion without giving any reason or prior notice. You are responsible for making your own assessment of all information contained on the Portal and shall verify such information by making reference, for example, to original publications and obtaining independent advice before acting upon it.

55. You shall ensure accuracy of MyGovHK profile data (including your personal data) kept in your MyGovHK account and/or submitted to any B/Ds; and that the Government shall not be responsible/liable for any inaccuracy, mistake or false information (including your personal data) so kept and/or submitted by you.

56. The Government does not give any warranty in relation to the use of the Portal and / or any third party websites linked to the Portal, and does not warrant against any possible interference or damage to your computer system arising from the use of the Portal. The Government makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, functionality or performance of any third party software that may be used in connection with the Portal. The Government makes no warranties that the Portal is free of infection by computer viruses.

Security

57. You must log out your MyGovHK account and close all browser windows after use to prevent misuse of your MyGovHK account by third parties.

58. You must refer to the information security best practices as stipulated in the "Infosec website" of the Government (www.infosec.gov.hk) to keep your information, software and equipment secured from misuse by third parties.

Scope of Copyright Ownership

59. Unless otherwise indicated, the contents found on the Portal are subject to copyright owned by the Government.

Non-text contents on the Portal

60. Prior written consent of the Government is required if you intend to reproduce, distribute or otherwise use any non-text contents (including but not limited to photographs, graphics, drawings, diagrams, audio files and video files) found on the Portal in any way or for any purpose. Such requests for consent shall be addressed to GovHK Help Desk via email at enquiry@1835500.gov.hk.

61. Where third party copyright i.e. copyright belonging to anyone other than the Government is involved in the non-text contents found on the Portal, authorization or permission to reproduce or distribute or otherwise use any such non-text contents must be obtained from the copyright owners concerned.

Text contents on the Portal

62. The Government copyright protected text contents found on the Portal may be reproduced and distributed free of charge in any format or medium for personal or internal use within an organisation, subject to the following conditions:

  • (a) the copy or copies made must not be for sale, or exchange for benefit, gain, profit or reward, or any other commercial purposes;
  • (b) such text contents must be reproduced accurately and must not be used in a manner adversely affecting any moral rights of the Government; and
  • (c) the Government must be acknowledged as the copyright owner of such text contents and acknowledgement must be given to "GovHK (www.gov.hk)" as the source of such text contents.

63. "Commercial purposes" includes without limitation the following:-

  • (a) the purpose to offer to supply goods, services, facilities, land or an interest in land;
  • (b) the purpose to offer to provide a business opportunity or an investment opportunity;
  • (c) the purpose to advertise or promote goods, services, facilities, land or an interest in land;
  • (d) the purpose to advertise or promote a business opportunity or an investment opportunity;
  • (e) the purpose to advertise or promote a supplier, or a prospective supplier, of goods, services, facilities, land or an interest in land; and
  • (f) the purpose to advertise or promote a provider, or a prospective provider, of a business opportunity or an investment opportunity,

in the course of or in the furtherance of any business.

64. Please note that the permission given in paragraph 62 above only applies to Government copyright protected text contents found on the Portal. The Government reserves the right to withdraw any permission given in paragraph 62 above at any time without any prior notice to you.

65. Prior written consent of the Government is required if you intend to reproduce, distribute or otherwise use any Government copyright protected text contents found on the Portal in any way other than that permitted in paragraph 62 above, or for any purpose other than that permitted in paragraph 62 above. Such requests shall be addressed to the GovHK Help Desk via email at enquiry@1835500.gov.hk.

66. Where third party copyright i.e. copyright belonging to anyone other than the Government is involved in the text contents found on the Portal, authorisation or permission to reproduce or distribute or otherwise use any such text contents must be obtained from the copyright owners concerned.

Contents on linked websites

67. For the avoidance of doubt, the permission given in paragraph 62 above does not extend to any contents on other websites linked to the Portal. If you intend to reproduce, distribute or otherwise use any contents on any such linked websites, you shall obtain all necessary authorisation or permission from the copyright owners concerned.

Suspension of your MyGovHK account

68. If you breach any of the Terms set out herein, the Government may suspend your MyGovHK account at any time without giving notice to you.

69. If the Government suspects that your user name and / or password of your MyGovHK account are/is used by any person (other than by yourself) to log into your MyGovHK account and / or to access the services in the Portal, the Government may suspend your account without notice.

70. Upon suspension of your MyGovHK account, you would not be able to log into your MyGovHK account.

Termination of a MyGovHK account

71. The Government may terminate your MyGovHK account without giving any notice if you breach any of the Terms or it is noted that your MyGovHK account has not been used or logged into for a long time (three years). The Government may notify you of the termination by sending an email message to the email address provided in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account.

72. You may terminate your MyGovHK account with immediate effect by clicking the "Delete My Account" link under "My Settings", re-entering your password and clicking the "Confirm" button [in the web page of "My Settings" function] in the Portal.

73. Upon termination of your MyGovHK account,

  • (a) a notification of the termination of your MyGovHK account will be sent to you by e-mail to the email address provided in the MyGovHK personal profile of your MyGovHK account;
  • (b) you cannot use your user name of your MyGovHK account to log into your MyGovHK account;
  • (c) you may not use any specific services provided in the Portal;
  • (d) you cannot use your user name of your MyGovHK account to access any B/D's online service;
  • (e) information (including personal data) in the personal profile of your MyGovHK account may be retained by the Government (see paragraphs 36 and 43 above); and
  • (f) you may not use the same user name of your terminated MyGovHK account to create a new MyGovHK account in the Portal.

This provision survives termination of your MyGovHK account.

Indemnity

74. You shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Government against all claims, actions, proceedings, liabilities, demands, charges, damages, costs, losses or expenses arising out of or resulting from the performance or attempted performance of, the use or attempted use of the services of the Portal (including your MyGovHK account and establishment/use of a Link up) to the extent that the same are or have been caused by any negligent or reckless conduct, wilful misconduct, omission, defamation, breach of statutory duty or breach of any of the Terms by you. This provision survives termination of your MyGovHK account.

Modifications of the Terms

75. The Government may from time to time vary, modify, delete and/or add any terms or conditions in the Terms at its own discretion. The revised Terms (if made) will be displayed to you in the Portal when you log into the Portal. You must read the revised Terms. By clicking the checkbox against "I accept the revised Terms (including The Privacy Policy, Disclaimer and Copyright clauses)" in the Portal, you agree to be bound by the revised Terms and the revised Terms will supersede previous versions of the Terms accepted by you.

Governing Law

76. The Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. You also agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong Courts.

Last revision date: January 2020