Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has initiated the first prosecution against doxxing activities, charging a company director with illegally leaking the personal particulars of two people with whom he allegedly had a monetary dispute.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data launched the first criminal proceeding on Wednesday since legal amendments making the malicious disclosure of personal information illegal took effect in October last year.

Anthony Ip Chun-hin appeared before West Kowloon Court slapped with four counts of disclosing personal data without the data subject’s consent, an offence punishable by up to two years in jail and a HK$100,000 (US$12,740) fine under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.