Will Facebook agree to Hong Kong police’s request to take down page of banned Hong Kong National Party?
Following the unprecedented ban on the separatist party issued on Monday, local police make request to social media giant asking it to remove HKNP page
Facebook is keeping quiet on whether it will agree to Hong Kong police’s request for the social media giant to take down the page of a local separatist party outlawed by the government on Monday.
In explaining the ban, Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu said on Monday it was on grounds of national security, public safety, public order and the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. He also warned that anyone who associates with the party by serving the group, participating in gatherings, providing financial assistance or aid could be liable on conviction to a fine and jail sentence of two to three years.
Aid could be broadly defined as providing a platform for the banned party to promote its operations, as legal scholars had suggested, which means Facebook could face possible criminal liability should the HKNP publish new posts on the platform to promote its causes.
A senior government source said the police on Monday had asked Facebook to take down HKNP’s page after the government declared the party illegal, but the social media giant had not yet responded to the request.