Hong Kong may drop plans for a “fake news” law, Chief Executive John Lee has suggested, saying the problem can be tackled by other means.
The city’s leader, in an interview with Sing Tao newspaper published on Thursday, said the government’s priority was to pass the city’s own security law rather than enacting “fake news” legislation.
The government first raised plans to legislate against what it called fake news and false information in 2021. Then-secretary for home affairs Caspar Tsui said at the time the administration was studying similar legislation overseas.
The administration must consider the need for any legislation as Hong Kong was a free society, the chief executive said in the interview.
“My attitude is that if it is not necessary to legislate, then it’s best not to do so,” he said.
He said the government would not have to introduce fake news legislation if the problem was manageable through self-discipline and industry ethics. “[We] will not treat a cold like cancer.”
Press freedom in Hong Kong
Critics say press freedom has already been eroded and a fake news law would further worsen the problem.
Hong Kong has plummeted in international press freedom indices since China imposed a national security law on the city in June 2020. Watchdogs cite the arrest of journalists, raids on newsrooms and the closure of around 10 media outlets including Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News.
Over 1,000 journalists have lost their jobs, whilst many emigrated. The city’s government-funded broadcaster RTHK has adopted new editorial guidelines, purged its archives and axed news and satirical shows.
See also: Explainer: Hong Kong’s press freedom under the national security law
In 2022, Chief Executive Lee said press freedom was “in the pocket” of Hongkongers but “nobody is above the law,” and urged the press to “tell a good Hong Kong story.”
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