Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

Hong Kong defends privacy law after Big Tech raises concerns

Hong Kong defends privacy law after Big Tech raises concerns

Hong Kong has defended planned changes to privacy laws, brushing off concerns raised by a technology industry body.

The new law targets "doxxing" - the malicious act of publishing people's personal information online.

But an industry group says technology giants may pull out of the city over fears that they could become liable for user content.

Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam said officials would meet companies that are concerned about the changes.

In a letter, the Singapore-based Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) - which counts Facebook, Google, Twitter and Apple amongst its members - said the proposed legislation was too broad.

"The local staff of overseas platforms in Hong Kong are not responsible for the operations of the platforms; neither do they…have access right or control to administer the online platform contents," the AIC said.

"The only way to avoid these sanctions for technology companies would be to refrain from investing and offering their services in Hong Kong, thereby depriving Hong Kong businesses and consumers, whilst also creating new barriers to trade," the letter added.

The letter, which was written on 25 June and made public on Monday, was addressed to Hong Kong's Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data.

In response, the government department reiterated that the changes to the law would only concern unlawful doxxing.

The AIC has told the BBC that the letter does not mention individual companies or that any one member is planning to leave Hong Kong.

When asked about the warning on Tuesday, Hong Kong's chief executive dismissed the concerns.

"We are targeting illegal doxxing and empowering the privacy commissioners to investigate and carry out operations, that's it," Ms Lam told reporters at a weekly news briefing.

She also signalled that her government would continue to fast-track the new legislation.

What are the proposed privacy law changes?


In May, Hong Kong's government announced plans to change data privacy laws after doxxing was widely used during pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The tactic was used to name police officers and court officials who had helped to crack down on protests online or worked on legal cases in which activists were prosecuted. Journalists and protestors were also targeted.

The proposed changes to the laws would ban doxxing and give authorities the power to force social media companies and websites to remove personal information from their platforms.

In 1997, the former British colony of Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule with guarantees of continued freedoms.

Pro-democracy activists say those freedoms are being eroded by Beijing, especially in the wake of a controversial national security law which was introduced last year. China denies these allegations.

Google and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the BBC. Facebook and Twitter referred the BBC to the AIC's original letter.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
×