HONG KONG, China — Google, Facebook, and Twitter have warned that if Hong Kong goes ahead with planned revisions to its privacy rules, which would make corporations and employees legally accountable for doxxing activities on their platforms, the financial centre will face an exodus. An industry group representing 15 of Asia’s major IT businesses expressed worries about the proposal in a letter to the local privacy agency. The corporations claim that it will stifle free speech and put their local employees’ safety in jeopardy if they refuse to comply with authorities’ requests to remove information. Following citywide protests in 2019, during which demonstrators posted personal information of police officers and government officials online, Hong Kong amended its data privacy rules in May. Simultaneously, pro-government supporters posted personal information of pro-democracy MPs, activists, and journalists on multiple websites. Doxxing is the practice of publishing people’s personal information online so that they might be harassed by others. Violators of the “anti-doxxing law” might face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to one million Hong Kong dollars ($128,800) under the data protection provisions. Doxxing is “a subject of considerable concern,” according to the Asia Internet Coalition, but the proposed law will cause technology companies to “refrain from investing and selling their services in Hong Kong, so hurting Hong Kong businesses and customers, while also establishing new trade obstacles.” Nikkei Asia obtained a copy of the letter, which was sent to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data on June 25. Apple, Facebook, Google, Expedia, Amazon, Line, LinkedIn, Rakuten, SAP, Airbnb, Twitter, Grab, Yahoo, Booking.com, and Cloudflare are among the coalition’s members. The letter expresses the worries of Asia’s IT industry, according to a representative for the Singapore-based organisation, and it is “inaccurate” to claim that any of its members plan to leave the Hong Kong market. After Beijing adopted a sweeping national security law on the Asian financial center a year ago to clamp down on political opposition, global technology enterprises face an increasingly unclear future in Hong Kong. Requests for user data from Hong Kong law enforcement agencies have subsequently been ceased, according to major internet companies. According to Facebook’s transparency report, the corporation declined all 202 Hong Kong government demands for user information in the six months following the security law’s implementation, including data linked to Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Oculus. The unclear description of “doxxing acts” would generate “problematic ambiguity,” according to the coalition’s letter, which came with seven pages of recommendations to the proposed law modifications. The revisions define doxxing as the unintentional publication of personal information in order to “threaten, intimidate, or harass” others or “cause psychological distress.” The prohibition on republishing personal information that is already in the public domain, according to the letter, might stifle the free flow of information that helps Hong Kong to maintain its standing as an international trade hub. The group stressed the importance of criminal prosecution of employees who fail to comply “since these platforms have little editorial control over users’ doxxing activity, and most services are delivered by offshore regional headquarters,” it is unnecessary and disproportionate.” The potential of prosecuting subsidiary personnel will cause uncertainty for firms and have a negative impact on Hong Kong’s development as a technology and innovation hub “According to the association, a free and open internet has been vital for Hong Kong’s success in those fields. The Asia Internet Coalition’s managing director, Jeff Paine, has requested a video meeting with Hong Kong’s privacy commissioner to examine the proposed revisions and give suggestions to alleviate businesses’ worries. However, Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog refutes concerns that the new law will restrict freedom of expression and harm foreign businesses’ interests. “The amendments were only intended to address unlawful doxxing activities, where the scope of the offense will be clearly stipulated in the legislation,” Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung told Hong Kong Commercial Radio, adding that she welcomes all stakeholders’ input and that she would meet with the coalition soon to learn more about their concerns./n
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