Social networks have taken a stand against the Chinese manipulation of information in Hong Kong.
Facebook and Twitter announced that they have removed accounts engaging in information deception. Some accounts “deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground.” YouTube is now being pressured by the online community to take a similar step. Screenshots have appeared on Twitter and Reddit that show YouTube ads placed by China Central Television painting the protests as an illegitimate product of foreign influence.
As the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests have grown in strength, China has been on the offensive both in the streets and online. They have been widely accused of spreading misinformation about the protesters, comparing them to terrorists in their ads on TV and social media. Although both Twitter and Facebook are banned in China, the government-controlled propaganda accounts were able to access the platforms via VPNs. The irony of this is that these are usually used by Chinese citizens trying to avoid government censorship.
Beijing has sent several letters to foreign media companies, calling for “impartial” and “objective” reporting on the Hong Kong protests in an attempt to influence international opinion. The BBC, some American outlets including NBC, Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, and Japan’s NHK national broadcaster and Asahi were among those who received the letter. China also warned spreading “false statements” about the ongoing unrest or “face consequences” in a letter sent to United Kingdom parliamentary members and peers who have spoken out in support of the protests in the former British colony.
A recent Pew study found that over 50 percent of teens get their news from YouTube, trusting online influencers over traditional sources. With over 200,000 Twitter and Facebook accounts suspended recently because of information manipulation, and several critical global events coming up in the near future, it’s imperative that a frank but decisive discussion on the role of social networks needs to be held, particularly on how to protect the facts and freedoms of people increasingly dependent on these platforms for news sources.
Sources:
Decoding China’s 280-Character Web of Disinformation, Foreign Policy
China is paying Twitter to publish propaganda against Hong Kong protesters, TNW
YouTube pressured to ban Chinese state media ads that spread misinformation about protesters, The Verge
China urges foreign media to ‘help right public opinion wrongs’ on Hong Kong protests, Yahoo
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