Hong Kong anti-terrorism ordinance and the surveillance society: privacy and free expression implications

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Abstract

This paper is a critical examination of the privacy and free expression
implications of surveillance in the wake of new anti-terrorism law in Hong
Kong. Surveillance has increased worldwide since the recent terrorist
attacks. New technological modes of surveillance have become
indispensable weapons in this ‘war on terrorism’. The extent to which
such surveillance technology impacts on privacy and free expression has
been explored extensively in the literature both in Europe and North
America. The issue, however, has received little attention in Asia.
European and North American anti-terrorism laws are set within the
framework of legislative safeguards – safeguards as to the permissible
boundaries of State surveillance. Where anti-terrorism laws impede civil
liberties, the legislation is relatively clear and transparent. The situation
in Hong Kong may be differentiated with that in Europe and North
America; there do not appear to be any legal safeguards in place to curtail
surveillance, while the notion of transparency seems wholly lacking in
the larger legal framework of surveillance.
Original languageEnglish
Article number3
Pages (from-to)26-43
Number of pages18
JournalAsia Pacific Media Educator
Issue number12
Publication statusPublished - 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • media

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