The Octopus card was introduced in 1997 with the aim of providing a simple way to pay fares on public transport in Hong Kong.

Octopus used to have a global reputation of world's leading and most extensive contactless smartcard system with the highest penetration, transaction volume and the widest scope of applications, now turned into an iconic symbol of "yesterday technology" under the rapid trend of mobile payments.

[6] At a hearing before the Privacy Commission on 26 July 2010, it was subsequently revealed that it had entered into partnership agreements through which card-holders' personal details were sold to CIGNA, an insurance company and others for HK$44 million.

The company disclosed that personal data collected from Octopus rewards program had been sold to six vendors since 2002, and that two such relationships were still current.

[7] Chan apologised before a Legislative Council's finance affairs panel meeting; she said that she 'might have used a wrong definition of selling [personal data] at the time'.