The unofficial anthem of pro-democracy demonstrators in 2019, “Glory to Hong Kong,” has been the target of the Hong Kong government’s attempts to suppress its use. The song has been banned from schools and, when played in error at a rugby match in South Korea last year, the Hong Kong government requested an investigation. The latest move by the authorities is to ask a court to ban the public performance and online dissemination of the song. This could impact U.S. technology companies like Google and set up the first legal test of how much control the Hong Kong government can wield over online content.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, Hong Kong is seeking to ban the distribution or reproduction of the song “in any way,” including adaptations of its “melody or lyrics.” The government claims that the song has caused “serious damage to the country” and to Hong Kong. A date for the court to hear the request has not been set. Google has already come under fire from the Hong Kong authorities for displaying the protest song under search results for Hong Kong’s national anthem.
The government cites the national security law enacted in 2020 as the basis for its court injunction request, which gives Beijing broad powers to crack down on what it deems to be political crimes, including separatism and collusion. If granted, the injunction would likely complicate and increase costs for U.S. tech companies moderating content in Hong Kong. George Chen, managing director at The Asia Group and former head of public policy for Greater China at Meta, said the government’s decision to use the courts was “opening the flood gates.”
“Glory to Hong Kong” can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. The potential scope of the injunction in Hong Kong is not yet clear. Critics say China’s national security law was written with the intent to police conduct outside of Hong Kong. Refusal to comply with a Hong Kong court decision could jeopardize a company’s staff and business in the region.
Efforts to suppress the song have driven interest in it, with eight different versions of “Glory to Hong Kong” topping the singles charts of Hong Kong’s iTunes on Wednesday. The escalation of the Hong Kong government’s attempts to proscribe speech could further damage the city’s image as a financial and economic center for China and Asia. It has already seen some multinationals move personnel to other locations.
Joy Dong contributed reporting.
