#Newspaper
South Korea’s Naver relocates Hong Kong data centre to Singapore
//Naver — a Google rival that dominates the South Korean market for web services and owns a majority of Japan-based WhatsApp competitor Line — confirmed it was relocating its data back-up centre from Hong Kong to an expanded site in Singapore.
//The move is the first by a major foreign tech group to formally retreat from the territory in response to China’s new national security laws
//Its exit comes amid widespread concern among foreign groups that they will be forced to hand over private user data to Hong Kong authorities as well as face censorship by the Chinese Communist party. Similar fears have stopped many US tech companies from operating within China for years.
//#Facebook, #Google and #Microsoft were among companies that this month temporarily blocked Hong Kong’s government from accessing user data as they assessed the implications of the new law. The US tech groups, most of which have data centres in Hong Kong, are locked in negotiations over a proposal to give regulators in the territory access to customer banking records.
//The decision by Seoul-based #Naver highlights the potential that other companies and investors could similarly shift operations and assets to Singapore, as Hong Kong loses its lustre as the region’s leading low-tax financial centre and a key tech and trade hub as Beijing tightens control.
Full article: FT, (21-Jul)
Further reading:
As National Security Law Descends upon Hong Kong, VPN Service TunnelBear Removes Hong Kong Servers, ProtonVPN Lists Hong Kong as “High-Risk Country”
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/23722
In Hong Kong, a Proxy Battle Over Internet Freedom Begins
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/23731
#Singapore #NationalSecurityLaw #Relocation #TechGroup
South Korea’s Naver relocates Hong Kong data centre to Singapore
//Naver — a Google rival that dominates the South Korean market for web services and owns a majority of Japan-based WhatsApp competitor Line — confirmed it was relocating its data back-up centre from Hong Kong to an expanded site in Singapore.
//The move is the first by a major foreign tech group to formally retreat from the territory in response to China’s new national security laws
//Its exit comes amid widespread concern among foreign groups that they will be forced to hand over private user data to Hong Kong authorities as well as face censorship by the Chinese Communist party. Similar fears have stopped many US tech companies from operating within China for years.
//#Facebook, #Google and #Microsoft were among companies that this month temporarily blocked Hong Kong’s government from accessing user data as they assessed the implications of the new law. The US tech groups, most of which have data centres in Hong Kong, are locked in negotiations over a proposal to give regulators in the territory access to customer banking records.
//The decision by Seoul-based #Naver highlights the potential that other companies and investors could similarly shift operations and assets to Singapore, as Hong Kong loses its lustre as the region’s leading low-tax financial centre and a key tech and trade hub as Beijing tightens control.
Full article: FT, (21-Jul)
Further reading:
As National Security Law Descends upon Hong Kong, VPN Service TunnelBear Removes Hong Kong Servers, ProtonVPN Lists Hong Kong as “High-Risk Country”
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/23722
In Hong Kong, a Proxy Battle Over Internet Freedom Begins
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/23731
#Singapore #NationalSecurityLaw #Relocation #TechGroup
Ft
South Korea’s Naver relocates Hong Kong data centre to Singapore
First major foreign tech group to confirm exit from Chinese territory amid privacy concerns