Twitter ‘Deletes’ China’s Communists, Zoom ‘Deletes’ Dissidents
By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – U.S. social media giants have reacted differently to China’s mounting censoring pressure, Worthy News monitored Friday.
While messaging service Twitter deleted over 170,000 accounts related to China’s ruling Communists, video-service Zoom took down accounts of Chinese dissidents.
In a statement seen by Worthy News, Twitter said some 24,000 accounts within a “core network” that disseminated false narratives from the Communist Party of China had been taken down.
And an additional 150,000 accounts who amplified the messages of those within the network were also deleted.
Twitter is mostly blocked in China but remains an instrument for its Communist leadership to reach an international audience.
DISSIDENTS DELETED
While Twitter targeted China’s rulers, Zoom, which operates in China, deleted accounts of dissidents, Worthy News learned.
Zoom said that in May and early June, the Chinese government notified it about several online meetings planned to commemorate the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
As many as 10,000 people were killed in the massacre, according to a leaked British diplomatic cable.
Zoom admitted it suspended the accounts of human rights activists at the request of the Chinese government and even suggested it will block any further meetings that Beijing complains are illegal.
“The Chinese government informed us that this activity is illegal in China and demanded that Zoom terminate the meetings and host accounts,” it added. “We did not provide any user information or meeting content to the Chinese government. We do not have a backdoor that allows someone to enter a meeting without being visible.”
CONTROVERSIAL TECHNOLOGY
Zoom then suspended the accounts of U.S.-based activists Zhou Fengsuo and Wang Dan, and Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Lee Cheuk-Yan. It has since reinstated all of their accounts.
“Going forward, Zoom will not allow requests from the Chinese government to impact anyone outside of mainland China,” Zoom added in a blog post dated June 11.
The U.S. based company said it is developing technology that would allow it to block participants based on geography.
That would mean Zoom could stop people in mainland China from attending future meetings on Zoom that are deemed illegal by the Chinese government.
Zoom’s approach raised eyebrows among dissidents. “Though my account was unblocked, I cannot accept that Zoom will instead block Chinese participants. Shame on Zoom for political censoring on behalf of the Chinese government,’ said Lee.
The cases also underscore challenges faced by social media giants in dealing with China. The world’s second-largest economy of 1.4 billion people is a nation of contrasts as its economic reforms go along with reported massive rights abuses towards Christians and other minorities.
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