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State Media Promoted Website That Leaks Personal Data of Hong Kong Protesters

A Russian registered website called “HK Leaks” has recently been collecting and posting the personal data of the Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protesters. On September 18, China’s state TV network China Central Television (CCTV) shared the video of the “HK Leaks” website on Weibo and encouraged netizens to forward it to others. In response, the Hong Kong pan-democratic district councilor Sunny Chiu made a posting on Facebook and suggested that the Chinese police were behind the website.

The personal data exposed on the “HK Leaks” website includes each person’s name, personal photo, occupation, birthday, phone number, and Facebook account. Some people’s residential addresses were also posted. In addition to some media reporters, the list also includes members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, social activists, and even ordinary Hong Kong citizens who participated in the parades. The website called these people “poisonous reports,” “Hong Kong independence thugs,” and “ringleaders that ruin Hong Kong.”

The website also leaves an email address to send tips. The list continues to grow. CCTV posted a video on its Weibo account around 1 p.m. on September 18, saying that “some netizens have created a website called HK Leaks.” They suggesting netizens “take off their masks and act together! Forward!” As of the morning of September 19, the video could not be seen.

Hong Kong pan-democratic district councilor Sunny Chiu shared a story on Facebook. The website showed that a violent thug accused a Hong Kong citizen, who was not a well-known social activist, of participating in illegal gatherings and also published his personal information. Chiu said that, two months ago, the police detained the victim for five hours when he entered mainland China from Hong Kong. During the detainment, the police confiscated the victim’s mobile phone, checked the photos, identified him as a participant in illegal parades, and took away the information on his phone. The victim told Chiu that he had deliberately filled in two errors in the address bar on the confession paper requested by the police. Later, the exact same mistakes showed up on the “HK Leaks” website. The victim believes that it must be the police who have been leaking the personal information of the Hong Kong people.

Source: Central News Agency, September 19, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201909190055.aspx