A key feature of Hong Kong’s business environment that differentiates it from mainland China is its free and open internet. However, the city is

Explainer: Websites blocked in Hong Kong – when, how, and why the list is growing

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2024-10-12 10:00:03

A key feature of Hong Kong’s business environment that differentiates it from mainland China is its free and open internet. However, the city is not immune to internet controls, with a growing list of websites apparently blocked by telecoms firms and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), with some citing police demands.

Although it is also not clear how many websites have been made inaccessible over the years, a media platform appeared last week to have been partially blocked, marking a first in Hong Kong. Previously, political websites, Taiwanese organisations, the US military, or doxxing platforms had been targeted.

Whilst, in some cases, there was confirmation that the blocks were at the request of the local authorities, law enforcement officials have not been transparent about if, when, and how website blocks are requested or enacted.

In other cases, websites have been made inaccessible by webmasters themselves – such as in the case of TikTok, which closed in Hong Kong days after the 2020 security law was enacted.