Hong Kong leader flags 'fake news' laws as worries over media freedom grow

Carrie Lam

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the government was working on ‘fake news’ legislation to tackle ‘misinformation, hatred and lies,’ as worries grow over media freedoms in the global financial hub. Under Beijing's directions, Hong Kong has taken a swift authoritarian turn following the imposition of a sweeping national security law in 2020, with a fresh drive for ‘patriotism’ spilling into most aspects of life in the city. A major overhaul of public broadcaster RTHK, led by a newly appointed bureaucrat with no media experience, is widely seen as a signal that government red lines will soon encircle journalism as they have other sectors, such as education. Speaking at her weekly news conference, Lam said the government was researching ‘fake news’, but added she had no timetable for the legislation.