LettersIf Hong Kong wants to stop doxxing, the law must also fight fake news

Name: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says anti-doxxing law will only target illegal activities
Uploaded: 2021-07-26T22:15:09.000Z
Duration: 1 min 42 s
Description: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says anti-doxxing law will only target illegal activities

Those doing the doxxing usually also concoct fake news about their target. Rules should be in place to stop doxxers from making up facts to fool the public and achieve their goal of putting innocent targets in harm’s way

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Stephen Wong Kai-yi, then privacy commissioner for personal data, briefs the media on more than 600 doxxing cases, on August 28, 2019, as anti-government protests raged in Hong Kong. The victims were police officers and protesters from both political camps. Photo: Nora Tam

Letters

Published: 6:15am, 27 Jul 2021Updated: 6:15am, 27 Jul 2021

The bill on criminalising doxxing is bound to be passed this legislative year: no question about that. Although the legislature sees it as a belated undertaking, it’s better than doing nothing to tackle this menace.

People these days are always talking about respect for privacy. Yet, disclosing personal information without the consent of the individual and other invasions of privacy have truly become all too commonplace in an web-linked world. Such acts are no different to someone taking intimate pictures and sharing them around the world (“Hong Kong minister defends anti-doxxing bill as another group voices concern”, July 21).

Leaving aside the harm done to privacy and dignity, personal safety can also be seriously threatened this way. Worse still, families, friends or organisations that do not even have the slightest connection with the person in question could be innocently embroiled in the ugliness. It is political persecution of a kind, and by its nature represents an extreme vicious invasion of one’s private space.

Those doing the nasty work of doxxing would normally also try to concoct fake news or rumours that would dovetail with a smear campaign against the target. Misleading members of the public or stoking hatred could get them on the same page as the muckraking perpetrator. Thus, if one thinks of stopping doxxing without stopping the manufacturing of fake news, it would by no means put an end to such evil acts.

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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says anti-doxxing law will only target illegal activities

In this internet age, a privacy protection “cloak” would seem to be a tall order. Still, strict laws must be enforced, including severe punishment, to serve as deterrents for potential offenders.

As for fake news, it has been a subject of deliberations for some time in Western nations. Yet, not a beacon of light seems to have appeared thus far. However, if there is enough will and persistence, I believe rules can be set to stop doxxers from making up fake news to fool the public and putting their innocent targets in harm’s way.

Randy Lee, Ma On Shan

Who is talking to kids raised on the internet?