Hong Kong working on ‘fake news’ laws to curb ‘misinformation’, Carrie Lam says
Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam has confirmed today that her government is working on “fake news” legislation, to curb “misinformation, hatred and lies” in the city, as concerns grow over media freedoms.
Since Beijing imposed the controversial national security law in 2002, Hong Kong has taken an authoritarian turn, which has forced new bouts of patriotism.
The global financial hub, ranked 80th out of 180 in terms of press freedom by Reporters Without Borders, has seen a major overhaul of its public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK).
Lam, at her weekly news conference, said the government was researching “fake news”, but that there is not yet a timeline for the new laws.
“The fake news law needs a lot of research, especially how overseas governments are tackling this increasingly worrying trend of spreading inaccurate information, misinformation, hatred and lies on the social media,” she said.
“We will continue to be very serious about this issue because of the damage it is doing to many people.”
The comments come a day after RTHK reported that it will 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.
The broadcaster has also removed some of its archived material from its YouTube and social media channels.