WhatsApp stops processing police requests for Hong Kong users' data amid protests

Facebook Inc's WhatsApp messaging service said on Monday it had "paused" processing law enforcement requests for user data in Hong Kong.

WhatsApp is "pausing" such reviews "pending further assessment of the impact of the National Security Law, including formal human rights due diligence and consultations with human rights experts," a spokesperson said in a statement.

The National Security Law allows authorities to punish crimes including secession, subversion and terrorism with up to life in prison.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

It has been met with protests across Hong Kong.

WhatsApp's parent company, Facebook, is also reportedly taking similar decisions - pausing review of government requests for user data from Hong Kong pending further assessment of the National Security Law.

“We believe freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and support the right of people to express themselves without fear for their safety or other repercussions. We have a global process for government requests and in reviewing each individual request, we consider Facebook’s policies, local laws and international human rights standards", a Facebook spokesperson said.

"We are pausing the review of government requests for user data from Hong Kong pending further assessment of the National Security Law, including formal human rights due diligence and consultations with international human rights experts.”

WhatsApp is not the only messaging application to be refusing data requests from the Chinese government.

It has been reported that Telegram is considering the same action.

“We understand the importance of protecting the right to privacy of our Hong Kong users under these circumstances,” Mike Ravdonikas, Telegram's head of marketing, told HKFP.

“Accordingly, Telegram does not intend to process any data requests related to its Hong Kong users until an international consensus is reached in relation to the ongoing political changes in the city.”

The company apparently has not disclosed any data to Hong Kong authorities.

Offenses under the law have been criticised for their breadth, with no certainty for citizens about what actions may or may not be deemed as illegal.

Already, authorities have removed books by pro-democracy writers in Hong Kong‘s public libraries.

Shape Created with Sketch. Pulitzer-winning photographers look back on Hong Kong’s protests Show all 20 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Pulitzer-winning photographers look back on Hong Kong’s protests 1/20 An anti-extradition bill protester is detained by riot police during skirmishes between the police and protesters outside Mong Kok police station, 2 September, 2019 Photos by Reuters 2/20 Police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at anti-extradition bill protesters during clashes in the Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong, 14 August, 2019 Reuters 3/20 A pro-China demonstrator films herself as an anti-government protester holds up a sign on her phone during skirmishes between the two opposing groups at Yuen Long station in Hong Kong, China, 12 September, 2019. The words on the phone read, "Seek an official reassessment of the June 4 crackdown," referring to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests Reuters 4/20 A man sprays paint over the Regional Emblem of Hong Kong after anti-extradition bill protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex on the 22nd anniversary of the handover from British to Chinese rule, destroying pictures and daubing walls with graffiti on 1 July, 2019 Reuters 5/20 An anti-government protester, who later identified himself as a university student, is chased by riot policemen after skirmishes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 12 November, 2019 Reuters 6/20 Hundreds of thousands protesters march through the streets of Hong Kong, demanding for it's leaders to step down and withdraw the proposed extradition bill on 16 June, 2019 Reuters 7/20 A masked anti-government protester, wielding a hammer, attacks a man who bystanders suspected of being a pro-Beijing activist from mainland China, during a protest in the Mong Kok area in Hong Kong on 11 November, 2019. The bloodied man, who suffered major facial and head trauma, was reported to have survived his injuries by local media Reuters 8/20 Passengers push their luggage past bricks and barriers after anti-government protesters blocked the roads leading to Hong Kong International Airport on 1 September, 2019 Reuters 9/20 Mall security personnel urges caution as he tries to extinguish a burning Christmas tree at the Festival Walk mall in Kowloon Tong on 12 November, 2019. The property suffered damage after anti-government protesters stormed the shopping centre Reuters 10/20 A woman looks out from the window of a residence as tens of thousands of demonstrators march through Hong Kong on 20 October, 2019, demanding autonomy and for its leaders to step down weeks after the formal withdrawal of an extradition bill Reuters 11/20 Hundreds of anti-government protesters gather after climbing to the peak of Lion Rock as a lighted sign is held high in the air, in Hong Kong on 13 September, 2019 Reuters 12/20 A child sits in carrier wearing a mask as anti-government protesters hold hands to form a human chain in a sign of solidarity in Kowloon Bay on 30 November, 2019 Reuters 13/20 Anti-government protesters are detained during skirmishes between the police and protesters in Admiralty district, Hong Kong on 29 September, 2019 Reuters 14/20 Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses while holding a news conference in Hong Kong on 27 August, 2019. On September 4, Lam announced the formal withdrawal of the extradition bill Reuters 15/20 Anti-extradition bill protesters use slingshots to hurl bricks as they clash with riot police during a demonstration to demand democracy and political reforms, in the market town of Tsuen Wan, located in Hong Kong on 25 August, 2019 Reuters 16/20 Customers cautiously exit an eyeglass store past a burning molotov cocktail as demonstrators clash with riot policemen during a march billed as a global "emergency call" for autonomy, in Hong Kong on 2 November, 2019 Reuters 17/20 Demonstrators protesting the proposed extradition bill aim their flashlights towards riot police as they are chased through the streets of Hong Kong on 25 August, 2019 Reuters 18/20 A restaurant worker receives help from volunteers as patrons cover their faces after riot police fired tear gas nearby to disperse anti-government protesters taking part in a march billed as a global "emergency call" for autonomy, in Hong Kong on 2 November, 2019 Reuters 19/20 Anti-government protesters stand in a cloud of tear gas unleashed during a stand off with riot police at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong on 12 November, 2019 Reuters 20/20 A man clears debris following the clashes between police and anti-government protester after a two week campus siege of the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong on 16 November, 2019 Reuters 1/20 An anti-extradition bill protester is detained by riot police during skirmishes between the police and protesters outside Mong Kok police station, 2 September, 2019 Photos by Reuters 2/20 Police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at anti-extradition bill protesters during clashes in the Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong, 14 August, 2019 Reuters 3/20 A pro-China demonstrator films herself as an anti-government protester holds up a sign on her phone during skirmishes between the two opposing groups at Yuen Long station in Hong Kong, China, 12 September, 2019. The words on the phone read, "Seek an official reassessment of the June 4 crackdown," referring to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests Reuters 4/20 A man sprays paint over the Regional Emblem of Hong Kong after anti-extradition bill protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex on the 22nd anniversary of the handover from British to Chinese rule, destroying pictures and daubing walls with graffiti on 1 July, 2019 Reuters 5/20 An anti-government protester, who later identified himself as a university student, is chased by riot policemen after skirmishes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 12 November, 2019 Reuters 6/20 Hundreds of thousands protesters march through the streets of Hong Kong, demanding for it's leaders to step down and withdraw the proposed extradition bill on 16 June, 2019 Reuters 7/20 A masked anti-government protester, wielding a hammer, attacks a man who bystanders suspected of being a pro-Beijing activist from mainland China, during a protest in the Mong Kok area in Hong Kong on 11 November, 2019. The bloodied man, who suffered major facial and head trauma, was reported to have survived his injuries by local media Reuters 8/20 Passengers push their luggage past bricks and barriers after anti-government protesters blocked the roads leading to Hong Kong International Airport on 1 September, 2019 Reuters 9/20 Mall security personnel urges caution as he tries to extinguish a burning Christmas tree at the Festival Walk mall in Kowloon Tong on 12 November, 2019. The property suffered damage after anti-government protesters stormed the shopping centre Reuters 10/20 A woman looks out from the window of a residence as tens of thousands of demonstrators march through Hong Kong on 20 October, 2019, demanding autonomy and for its leaders to step down weeks after the formal withdrawal of an extradition bill Reuters 11/20 Hundreds of anti-government protesters gather after climbing to the peak of Lion Rock as a lighted sign is held high in the air, in Hong Kong on 13 September, 2019 Reuters 12/20 A child sits in carrier wearing a mask as anti-government protesters hold hands to form a human chain in a sign of solidarity in Kowloon Bay on 30 November, 2019 Reuters 13/20 Anti-government protesters are detained during skirmishes between the police and protesters in Admiralty district, Hong Kong on 29 September, 2019 Reuters 14/20 Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses while holding a news conference in Hong Kong on 27 August, 2019. On September 4, Lam announced the formal withdrawal of the extradition bill Reuters 15/20 Anti-extradition bill protesters use slingshots to hurl bricks as they clash with riot police during a demonstration to demand democracy and political reforms, in the market town of Tsuen Wan, located in Hong Kong on 25 August, 2019 Reuters 16/20 Customers cautiously exit an eyeglass store past a burning molotov cocktail as demonstrators clash with riot policemen during a march billed as a global "emergency call" for autonomy, in Hong Kong on 2 November, 2019 Reuters 17/20 Demonstrators protesting the proposed extradition bill aim their flashlights towards riot police as they are chased through the streets of Hong Kong on 25 August, 2019 Reuters 18/20 A restaurant worker receives help from volunteers as patrons cover their faces after riot police fired tear gas nearby to disperse anti-government protesters taking part in a march billed as a global "emergency call" for autonomy, in Hong Kong on 2 November, 2019 Reuters 19/20 Anti-government protesters stand in a cloud of tear gas unleashed during a stand off with riot police at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong on 12 November, 2019 Reuters 20/20 A man clears debris following the clashes between police and anti-government protester after a two week campus siege of the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong on 16 November, 2019 Reuters

Libraries "will review whether certain books violate the stipulations of the National Security Law”, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said in a statement.

"While legal advice will be sought in the process of the review, the books will not be available for borrowing and reference in libraries."

Three days ago, the first person was charged under the new legislation.

“A 23-year-old local man has been charged with one count of inciting others for secession and one count of terrorist activity,” police said in a statement on Friday.

He allegedly drove a motorbike at police in Hong Kong.

The charge came less than a day after the government had legislated against the protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times", stating that it is illegal because it connotes separatism or subversion.