Facebook, WhatsApp Suspending Review of Hong Kong Requests for User Data -- Update
July 06 2020 - 10:33AM
Dow Jones News
By Newley Purnell
HONG KONG -- Facebook Inc. and its WhatsApp messaging service
have suspended processing requests for user data from Hong Kong
law-enforcement agencies following China's imposition of a
national-security law on the city.
WhatsApp is "pausing" such reviews "pending further assessment
of the impact of the National Security Law, including formal
human-rights due diligence and consultations with human-rights
experts," a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in response to a Wall Street
Journal query on Monday.
A spokeswoman for parent company Facebook said in a later
statement that it was doing the same. "We believe freedom of
expression is a fundamental human right and support the right of
people to express themselves without fear for their safety or other
repercussions," the Facebook statement said.
The move puts the U.S. technology titan on a potential collision
course with Beijing, after China fast-tracked the national-security
legislation that includes a provision mandating local authorities
to take measures to supervise and regulate the city's previously
unfettered internet.
Facebook, WhatsApp and its Instagram service, along with Twitter
Inc. and Google unit YouTube, have long operated freely in Hong
Kong without restrictions from China's firewall that applies to
mainland internet users.
Citizens in the city have long been accustomed to using them to
express political opinions and show support for protests against
China's increasing influence, but in recent days some users and
activists have scrubbed or deleted their social-media accounts for
fear of falling afoul of the new law that came into force late June
30. Foreign businesses frequently cite the free flow of information
in Hong Kong as one of the most important factors for being located
in the financial hub.
Dubai-based Telegram Group Inc. said in a statement that was
earlier reported by the Hong Kong Free Press that it doesn't intend
to process "any data requests related to its Hong Kong users until
an international consensus is reached in relation to the ongoing
political changes in the city." A representative for the messaging
service said in a statement that the company "has never shared any
data with the Hong Kong authorities in the past."
Hong Kong's government and police force didn't immediately
respond to requests for comment.
Some activists and advocates for internet privacy welcomed the
moves by Facebook and Telegram.
"I think it's a good sign. They are upholding freedom of speech
and user privacy," said Francis Fong, honorary president of the
Hong Kong Information Technology Federation trade association. Mr.
Fong is also a member of the standing committee on technological
developments for Hong Kong's office of the privacy commissioner for
personal data.
WhatsApp is popular in Hong Kong among members of the general
public, Mr. Fong said, but to discuss more sensitive matters people
often use services such as Telegram or Signal, another messaging
service.
Hong Kong police in May said they arrested a 28-year-old man who
according to evidence they displayed publicly was the owner of a
Telegram channel, or group, of demonstrators for allegedly
"conspiring or soliciting to commit murder" and "incitement to
commit criminal damage." A police superintendent said at the time
police believed the man posted messages to about 22,000 followers
including material such as tutorials on making gasoline bombs and
instructions for how to murder police officers.
Facebook in the last six months of 2019 received 241 government
requests for data on users in Hong Kong, according to a company
report. Facebook, along with other tech firms, must follow local
laws in the countries where it operates.
"WhatsApp believes in the right for people to have a private
conversation online," the company's spokeswoman said. It isn't
known how many users it has in the city of 7.5 million.
The implementation of the new law means U.S. tech companies in
the city now face a delicate balancing act, analysts say. If
authorities here ask them to remove user accounts or their content,
they risk alienating their user bases. If they refuse, they could
invite scrutiny from Beijing and legal action.
WhatsApp's move comes amid rising concerns that Beijing's new
rules might be used to tamp down political discussion in Hong Kong.
Public libraries in recent days have removed from circulation
several books by pro-democracy figures, saying the works needed to
be reviewed to ensure they comply with the security law.
China imposed the law on Hong Kong as part of efforts to crush
protests that ripped through the city last year, turning more
violent even as the movement retained broad popular support. The
law targets activities related to secession, subversion, terrorism
and with foreign or external forces to endanger national
security.
Twitter said in a statement last week it "has grave concerns"
about the law and is "committed to protecting the people using our
service and their freedom of expression." Twitter said it is
reviewing the new rules, "particularly as some of the terms of the
law are vague and without clear definition."
Twitter didn't immediately respond to fresh questions asked
Monday.
--Joyu Wang contributed to this article.
Write to Newley Purnell at newley.purnell@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 06, 2020 10:18 ET (14:18 GMT)
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