The Macau casino operator reportedly entered into a deal with YouFind, a Hong Kong-based digital marketing firm, to monitor their staff's social media, the South China Morning Post reported.
GEG's policy was allegedly adopted after Typhoon Hato, a category 10 typhoon in August 2017 that killed 16 people in Macau. Many of the casinos were unprepared for the storm and some staff complained that they were expected to attend work on time or have their wages docked. The negative comments eventually spread across social media.
In order to deal with the backlash, Galaxy Entertainment reportedly entered into the deal with YouFind to conduct damage control, according to The South China Morning Post. The newspaper cited documents shared by an unnamed source.
The source told The South China Morning Post: “It was absolutely a secret contract, normal procedures were not followed. If it is all ethical, above board and in complete compliance with all the necessary laws, why all the secrecy?”
Hong Kong’s privacy commissioner for personal data, Stephen Wong Kai-yi, said he is monitoring the case.
GEG said it has never and will never authorise any illegal use of social media.
“In accordance with entirely standard global industry practice, Galaxy Entertainment Group has appointed outsourcing suppliers to provide social media marketing services to GEG in order to measure and enhance the group’s online social media presence," the company said in a statement.
“GEG has not and will not authorise any illegal use of social media. GEG proactively fulfils its social responsibilities and strives to ensure that the conduct of its business complies with the laws of [Macau and Hong Kong].
