Facebook suspends activist’s account

FACEBOOK has suspended the account of a prominent Hong Kong democracy campaigner as the movement attracts massive local support.

FACEBOOK has suspended the account of a prominent Hong Kong democracy campaigner as the movement attracts massive local support but strong oppos­ition from China.

Benny Tai, an associate law professor at Hong Kong Univer­sity who is a leader of the territory’s democracy campaign, says his account was suspended without explanation.

The social media corporation has recently leased an 800sq m ­office in Beijing’s central business district and is seeking approval to unblock its website in China and build a client base in the world’s biggest online market. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has said making Facebook available in China reflects his company’s goal of “connecting the world”.

The International Federation of Journalists yesterday urged Facebook to uphold freedom of expression and reject outside influence: “Freedom of access to information and exchange of ideas are the cornerstones of a democratic society, which is what Hong Kong people are fighting for … and which is enshrined in the Basic Law (the territory’s constitution).’’

Dr Tai is campaigning for the public nomination of candidates and universal suffrage in the elections in 2017 of Hong Kong’s chief executive and legislature.

He was notified by Facebook later that an account must use the true full name, he said. Dr Tai set up his account using the name by which he is well-known: Benny Tai Yiu-Ting, combining his Eng­lish and Chinese names. His Hong Kong identity card uses only his Chinese name, however.

In mainland China, but not Hong Kong, internet service providers are required to obtain the real identities of all users. They must provide them, if asked, to the authorities, the “net police.”

Dr Tai said he had operated his Facebook account for some time without problems, until the democracy campaign recently stepped up a gear.