Hong Kong Leader Flags Fake News Laws Amid Media Freedom Worries

Hong Kong is reportedly working on “fake news” legislation to tackle “misinformation, hatred and lies,” as worries grow over media freedoms in the global financial hub.

Speaking at her weekly news conference on Tuesday, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said government was researching “fake news”, but added she had no timetable for the legislation.

She said the fake news law needs a lot of research, especially on how overseas governments are tackling the trend of spreading inaccurate information, misinformation, hatred and lies on the social media.

Under Beijing’s directions, Hong Kong has taken a swift authoritarian turn after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020, with a fresh drive for “patriotism” spilling into most aspects of life in the city.

Also, a major overhaul of public broadcaster RTHK, led by a newly appointed bureaucrat with no media experience, is widely perceived to signal government influence on journalism as they have other sectors, such as education.

A day before la’s comments,  RTHK reported the broadcaster would not renew the contract of its journalist Nabela Qoser, known for her tough questioning of Lam and other officials during mass 2019 anti-government protests. RTHK has also begun removing some of its archives from its Youtube and social media channels, prompting online activists to back up some of the content on blockchain platforms.