In response to a court order banning the popular protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong,' Hong Kong's Chief Executive stated that the administration would remain vigilant for any non-compliance. The ban specifically targets the dissemination of the song to advocate for the city's separation from China and prohibits any misrepresentation of the song as the national anthem with the intent to insult it.
During a weekly news briefing, Chief Executive John Lee emphasized the government's commitment to monitoring the situation and notifying internet platforms of any violations of the injunction. He expressed confidence in the operators' adherence to the law.
The court-ordered ban has sparked concerns about potential restrictions on freedom of expression and internet freedom in the city. Critics fear that it could impact the operations of tech giants and diminish Hong Kong's status as a global financial hub.
Last week, YouTube complied with the injunction by blocking access to 32 videos of the song for viewers in Hong Kong. While expressing disappointment with the court's decision, the tech company indicated that it was exploring options for an appeal.
Chief Executive Lee clarified that there were no links to the song on local platforms and that Google searches did not yield any results related to the specified injunction. However, the song remains accessible on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.
It remains uncertain whether other tech giants will restrict access to additional content featuring the song for Hong Kong viewers. Google, Spotify, and Apple have not provided immediate comments on the matter.
'Glory to Hong Kong' is widely recognized as the anthem of the 2019 protest movement, which was met with a subsequent crackdown that silenced dissenting voices in the city. Instances where the song was mistakenly played instead of China's national anthem at international sporting events have further fueled tensions.
Last year, the government took legal action after Google resisted pressure to prioritize China's national anthem over the protest song in search results for the city's anthem.
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