Hong Kong bars WhatsApp, Google Drive, WeChat from government computers

Hong Kong government bans popular apps for civil servants due to cybersecurity risks, sparking complaints and concerns.

The Hong Kong government is barring most civil servants from using popular apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat and Google Drive on their work computers owing to potential security risks.

The latest IT security guidelines from the Digitial Policy Office have many civil servants complaining about added inconvenience. Government workers will still be allowed to use the services from personal devices at work and can get exceptions to the ban with approval from a manager.

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Information technology experts said companies have adopted similar policies owing to increasing risks of data leaks and cybersecurity challenges.

Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said on a radio programme on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) that the ban is needed as hacking is becoming a more serious problem. He said the governments of the United States and China have also adopted stringent measures for their internal computer systems.

A civil servant surnamed Lee, who requested anonymity because she was not authorised to speak to media, said her office often uses cloud storage services to exchange large files with vendors outside the government.

Francis Fong, the honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, said officials told him that the policy aims to prevent malware from bypassing its firewall through encrypted messages. He added that it could also address issues with data breaches.