Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube announced on Tuesday that it will be blocking access to 32 video links in Hong Kong due to content deemed prohibited after a court ruling. This decision comes amidst a crackdown on freedom in the financial hub, raising concerns among critics about government control.
This action follows the Hong Kong Court of Appeal’s approval of the government’s request to ban the protest anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.” The judges expressed concerns that the song could be used by dissidents to incite secession and pose a threat to the state.
A spokesperson for Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube, based in Mountain View, California, confirmed that the geo-blocking of videos will take effect immediately for viewers in Hong Kong.
YouTube stated that its systems will process the changes and eventually the links to the videos will not appear in Google searches within Hong Kong. Attempts to access the song on YouTube from Hong Kong result in a message stating, “Due to a court order, this content is unavailable in this country’s domain.”
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson justified the need to prevent the song from spreading in order to protect Hong Kong’s national security.
YouTube expressed disappointment in the court’s decision, raising concerns about the impact on the digital economy and Hong Kong’s business environment. Despite complying with the takedown order, they emphasized the importance of maintaining free expression online and stated their intent to explore appeal options.
Various parties, including the U.S. government, believe that the ban will harm Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial center and pose risks to freedom and information dissemination.
George Chen, co-chair of the digital practice at Asia Group, voiced concerns about Internet freedom and free speech, emphasizing the importance of a stable and predictable business environment for foreign investors in Hong Kong.
Industry groups such as the Asian Internet Coalition, representing major tech companies, stressed the importance of maintaining Hong Kong’s open internet for the city’s competitiveness.
The Hong Kong government did not provide a response to requests for comment on the issue.
This move by Alphabet’s Google and YouTube is not unprecedented, as they comply with legal requirements to restrict content in various regions. In the past, content has also been removed in China, following Google’s withdrawal from mainland China in 2010.
Hong Kong currently does not have an official national anthem, with “Glory to Hong Kong” emerging as a popular unofficial anthem during the 2019 pro-democracy protests, replacing the Volunteer March.
In recent years, Hong Kong has faced criticism for cracking down on dissent and restricting freedoms, leading to concerns about the erosion of promised freedoms under the “one country, two systems” policy.
Source: www.theguardian.com
