Google, Facebook and other tech companies threaten to quit Hong Kong over privacy law
Asian Internet Coalition, including Twitter and Apple, Issues Visible Law Reform Warning With "Severe Sanctions"
Asian industry groups including Google, Facebook and Twitter have warned that tech companies could stop offering their services in Hong Kong if China moves forward with plans to change privacy laws.
The warning came in a letter sent by the Asian Internet Alliance, of which the three companies, as well as Apple Inc., LinkedIn and other companies, are members.
Proposed amendments to Hong Kong's privacy law could impose "heavy penalties" on individuals, said a June 25 letter to the territory's privacy commissioner for personal data, Ada Chung Lai-ling, without specifying what the penalties would be. .
"The introduction of sanctions targeting individuals is inconsistent with global norms and trends," says the letter, the subject of which was originally reported by the Wall Street Journal.
"The only way to avoid sanctions on these high-tech companies is to refrain from investing and offering their services in Hong Kong, thus removing Hong Kong businesses and consumers and removing new barriers to trade. Create yourself too."
In the six-page document, AIC CEO Jeff Paine acknowledged the reform proposals aimed at the security and confidentiality of individual personal data. "However, we would like to point out that doxing is serious business," he wrote.
Hong Kong saw an unprecedented wave of doxing - or the release of personal or identifying information about a person or organization - during the massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Personal data was released on both sides, with police, politicians being targeted. , journalists and activists, and their families.
Anti-government protesters disclosed details about the home addresses of several officials and the school's children, some of whom threatened themselves and their families online.
"We believe ... that any anti-toxicity legislation, which may have the effect of restricting freedom of expression, should be built on the principles of necessity and proportionality," the AIC said.
At a regular news conference on Tuesday morning, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam said the bill would only focus on "illegal" doping and said the privacy commissioner would be happy to meet with tech companies if in doubt.
"There is broad support that doxing should be fought," Lam said. “The reformed practice is to tackle the problem of doxing. The privacy commissioner has the power to act and conduct grim investigations, that's all. "
He said all the new laws attracted attention, citing national security laws as an example, but expressed expressed concerns about the consequences that would not prove. The national security law has been widely criticized internationally, but Hong Kong authorities say it has brought stability to the city.
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters, and Twitter questioned the AIC. Google declined to comment.
The suppression of opposition and dissent by the Hong Kong authorities was accelerated by the adoption of a national security law drafted by Beijing last year. More than 10,000 people were arrested in connection with the protests, including at least 128, including journalists and politicians, in connection with new national security violations. The Hong Kong government has rejected international criticism of its crackdown and instead promised to further tighten the law.
- Reuters contributed to this report
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