Google to discontinue direct data provision to the Hong Kong authorities - due to enforcement of the National Security Law

 Recently Nihon Keizai Shimbun Electronic Edition reported the following:

Google、香港当局へデータ直接提供中止　国安法施行で

中国・台湾 北米

2020/8/14 22:10

米メディアは14日、米アルファベット傘下のグーグルが香港当局へ今後直接データを提供しないと報じた。香港国家安全維持法の施行を受けた措置だ。

米紙ワシントン・ポストによると、グーグルは13日、香港の警察当局に対し、今後は米国との刑事共助条約を通じて、データ開示の要求に対応すると通知したという。この手法は米司法省を経由することになり、数週間から数カ月かかるという。グーグルは今後直接対応しない。事実上中国本土と同じ扱いとなる。

グーグルの声明によると、グーグルは利用者のデータに関する全ての要請について検討し、「過度に幅広い要請」についてはユーザーのプライバシーを保護するために拒否するという。またグーグルは6月30日の香港国家安全法施行以降はデータを提供していなかったという。

米IT各社は利用者の当局へのデータ提供が人権侵害につながる事態を懸念している。香港国家安全法の影響を精査するためとし、グーグルとフェイスブック、ツイッターの3社は7月上旬、香港当局に対する利用者情報の提供を一時停止したと明らかにしていた。

香港国家安全法の規定では、ネット上の情報が国家安全に危害を加えると判断すれば、プラットフォーム業者に削除やアクセス制限を求めることができる。

Translation

The US media reported on the 14th that Google, which was belong to the US Alphabet, would no longer provide data directly to Hong Kong authorities. It was a measure that came into force after noting the Hong Kong National Security Maintenance Act.

According to the Washington Post, Google had informed the Hong Kong police officials on Thursday that it would respond to requests for data disclosure through the Criminal Mutual Aid Treaty with the United States. It was said that this method would go through the US Department of Justice and could take weeks to months. From now on Google would no longer respond directly. Effectively the treatment was same as with mainland China.

According to Google's statement, Google would review all requests for your data, and would refuse "excessive broad requests" so as to protect the privacy of users. In addition, Google had not provided data since the enforcement of the Hong Kong National Security Law on June 30th.

US IT companies were concerned that providing user data to the authorities could lead to human rights violations. In order to scrutinize the impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Google, Facebook and Twitter announced in early July that they had suspended the provision of user information to the Hong Kong authorities.

According to the provisions of the Hong Kong National Security Law, platform operators could be asked to delete or restrict access if it was determined that the information on the Internet would pose a national security risk.

              It is nice to note that Google and other major US IT companies in Hong Kong, for the purpose of protecting user privacy, will no longer provide data directly to Hong Kong authorities as a response to the new Hong Kong National Security Maintenance Act.