Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Facebook refused all 202 Hong Kong gov't user data requests since onset of security law

Facebook refused all 202 Hong Kong gov't user data requests since onset of security law

Social media giant Facebook has refused all 202 Hong Kong government requests for user data it received in the six months after Hong Kong enacted the national security law last June.

Facebook received 201 legal process requests and one emergency disclosure request from Hong Kong authorities for user data from 223 user accounts between July and December 2020. It complied with none of them, the company’s latest transparency report showed.

During the second half of last year, Facebook received user information requests from the governments of 21 other countries that it did not comply with, the company’s data showed. Amongst them were Sri Lanka, Russia, Iraq and Malawi.

Facebook’s data includes requests made in relation to Instagram, Messenger, Whatsapp and Occulus, the transparency report said.

When asked by HKFP if Facebook’s non-compliance might violate the city’s laws, a police spokesperson said they “would request information from relevant individuals and organisations when it is needed for its crime investigations.”

Facebook transparency data on Hong Kong.


Previously, Facebook produced some user data in response to about 63 Hong Kong government requests it received in the first half of 2020, putting its compliance rate at 24 per cent, which the company said was the lowest since 2015.

User data it supplied included metadata such as “name, length of service, email address(es), and a recent login/logout IP addresses and other transactional information,” but not data on content of communication, HKFP reported in May.

Content restriction


Separately, Facebook restricted content from Hong Kong-based users on 13 occasions due to alleged violations of local law between July and December 2020, the transparency figures showed. These include seven Facebook pages and groups, one post and five profiles – a sharp decrease from 199 cases in the first half of that year. The figures did not indicate the number of content restriction requests it received from governments.

The company said it “paused the review of government requests for user data from Hong Kong” shortly after Beijing handed down the national security law last July.


The wide-ranging law inserted by Beijing into Hong Kong’s Basic Law criminalised subversion, secession and foreign interference as offences punishable with up to life imprisonment.

Defendants charged with offences related to the 2019 anti-China extradition bill protests were often confronted with evidence submitted by the prosecution that included messages and posts made on Facebook. Ben Chung — one of the 47 democrats charged with violating the law over a primary election — was denied bail after a prosecutor cited a public statement he made on the social media platform.

The authorities are also empowered by the national security law to request user information from web providers for the purpose of investigation or crime prevention, or if the user is deemed to have endangered national security through their online activities.

Non compliance is a national security offence punishable with a fine of up to HK$100,000 and one year in prison. As the law entails global jurisdiction, it is enforceable on individuals, organisations and activities that did not occur in the city.

HKFP has reached out to Facebook for comment.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×