Online censorship threatens Hong Kong

Caption: Hong Kong Bloggers' Facebook accounts were blocked after the forth Chief Executive was elected.

Leung Chun-ying (CY), the forth Chief Executive of Hong Kong was elected by 1200 election committees on March 25, 2012. He is alleged as underground communist party member and violated freedom of speech in the past. A famous Hong Kong blogger Kay Lam’s Facebook account was suspended after posting a picture with caption “Finally the lights are all gone, The Death of Hong Kong 1841-2012”, just three hours after CY was elected as Chief Executive.

Few minutes after he posted this picture, Facebook received complaints and shut down Kay Lam’s account and stated that, “One or more photos that you uploaded violate Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.

It is a violation of our policies to upload photos that:
- Target people based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or disease.
- Contain credible threats to harm others, support for violent organizations, or graphic content.

This is the picture that "violated" Facebook's terms and conditions.

Lam has been an active blogger commenting on political and social issues for six years. He claims such thing has never happened before, not even once. He accused that was planned by the Chinese Communist Party in order to shut his mouth up. His satirizing pictures and critical comments on CY would soon receive attack by professional thugs, for instant “accused that I was on the side of other candidate, I was paid to do so, threaten me to be careful when going out”. He found this situation began since the Liaison Office openly supported CY. He suspected these professional thugs came from Mainland, “they all claim themselves as oversea elite. But their English are poor, so as traditional Chinese writing”. Sometimes they falsely claimed themselves as League of Social Democrat’s members but didn’t know the chairperson has changed already. Lam also queried if these online professional thugs helped CY to suppress his opponent, the series of remixed pictures against his opponent were just too professional to be finished by laymen.

Facebook account of another blogger Wu dai-tang was also suspended after CY won the Chief Executive election. He posted spoof figure of CY and caused collective complains. His blog entitled with “Facebook, just mute me up!”, wrote that “a particular country is sending out collective complainants as a tool to suppress dissidents online….China, I just can’t love you.”

Blogger Wu dai-tang was noticed by Facebook that his account was suspended after posting some spoon figures of newly elected Hong Kong Chief Executive.

Few netizen left comments on Wu dai-tang’s blog. Jeff Kl Hui criticizes complain mechanism of Facebook can be easily abused. Anyone can complain on your “public information” even they do not know you. As long as you are being complained, you will not know who the complainers are, how many complaints are received, or specific reasons. Once the complaints are accumulated to a certain number (you never know), Facebook sysyem will locked your account automatically. The staff will reveal if the complaints are justified within 48 hours. If not, they will unlock your account. However, their policies are not opened to public. If Facebook think a user is against its terms and conditions, the account will be closed forever. There is no appeal mechanism. All user’s information will not be retrieved, neither photos nor notes. Facebook is very totalitarian.”

An anonymous guest said, “Facebook never promises it will defense freedom. It is only an American company which aim at making profit. I think, it will soon enter China, to make more profits.” Netizen Frostig said, “Facebook is stupid yet totalitarian!!! Crazy Facebook! Quit Facebook NOW!” Blogger Wu dai-tang insists on “No escape, no anger, or fear”.

A social movement society “Keyboard front” often points out socio-political problems through online remixed pictures. Its member Summer told that members of the society have received two threatening phone calls, once spoke in Putonghua and another spoke non-fluent Cantonese, warning them not to make any trouble. Summer never thought supporters of CY would response so promptly. He worried the new government would oppress online free speech through Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance. But he will not give in.

Lam thought internet was a relatively free world. But if Facebook keeps on managing accounts in this way, the last ground of freedom will lost. He registered another account on Facebook few days ago, doubtlessly, it was suspended again since a person could only has one Facebook account according to its policy. Finally, Lam’s account was re-opened after a number of netizens sent explaination letters to Facebook.

Related readings (in Chinese):
Wu dai-tang’s blog: Facebook, mute my voice
Kay Lam’s blog: “How this picture violated Facebook’s statement?
Apple daily: Bloggers marched on street to against online violence (28.3.2012)