London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
×