WhatsApp says it won’t hand over user data to Hong Kong authorities
Private messages could be used against Hong Kong residents under new national security law
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WhatsApphas announced that it will not hand over any user data to Hong Kong authorities when sent official demands to do so, at least for the time being.
As reported by theWall Street Journal, the announcement comes after China introduced its newnational security lawwhich bans Hong Kong residents from criticizing the Chinese government both online and in person.
During last year’s protests, many Hong Kong residents turned toencrypted messaging servicesas a way to communicate and organize. However, now that China’s national security law has been passed, many fear that Chinese authorities could try and force companies to give them access to users' private messages.
In fact, some users were so concerned that they went ahead and deleted their accounts outright ahead of the law being passed.
Information requests
WhatsAppwas the first company to announce that it would suspend processing requests for user data from Hong Kong law enforcement agencies after China’s national security law went into effect. This was later followed by a statement from its parent company Facebook in which a spokesperson said it would also follow suit, saying:
“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.”
So far, WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and Twitter have all issued statements saying that they would pause all data and information requests from Hong Kong authorities. While good news for Hong Kong residents, this will put all of the aforementioned companies into conflict with theChinese governmentwhich could end up deciding to ban all of these services from being used in the city going forward.
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Apple’s Messages and FaceTime also useend-to-end encryptionand at the time of writing it is still unclear as to whether or not the iPhone maker will take a similar stance regarding China’s national security law.
Via9to5Mac
After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.
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