Zoom shut down of activists’ accounts over Tiananmen events was demanded by Chinese government

Zoom says it did not provide any user information or meeting content to the Chinese government

The videoconference giant will not allow further requests from China to impact users outside the country in the future, it says

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Zoom has seen its global popularity as a video conferencing tool soar during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: AP

Published: 9:38am, 12 Jun 2020Updated: 10:19am, 12 Jun 2020

Zoom Video Communications said on Thursday it suspended user accounts and ended meetings linked to the anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown on its platform after the Chinese government demanded it do so.

Zoom, which has seen its global popularity as a video conferencing tool soar during the Covid-19 pandemic, said it did not provide any user information or meeting content to the Chinese government, adding it would not allow further requests from China to impact users outside the country in the future.

The company’s statement comes after it temporarily shut three accounts belonging to activists, one of whom is based in Hong Kong and two in the United States.

US-based Humanitarian China founder Zhou Fengsuo said his account was suspended after holding a Zoom event to commemorate the 31st anniversary of China’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square. The event was joined by viewers based in mainland China.

Zoom said the Chinese government had notified it about four large planned commemoration meetings that were being publicised on social media. The authorities demanded they terminate the events and linked accounts, it added.

Zoom decided to end three of those meetings and temporarily suspend the host accounts as it is currently unable to remove specific participants from a meeting or block participants from a certain country from joining a meeting, the company said.