YouTube on Wednesday suspended a channel broadcasting John Lee ‘s undisputed bid to become Hong Kong ‘s next leader. These actions followed US sanctions against the former chief of security. As expected, that 1,500 Beijing devotees will choose Lee as the center’s new chief executive next month. Lee has no competition.
Although no concrete policies have been released, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram accounts have been used to promote the platform.
For his defense of China’s national security, Lee characterized US sanctions against him as “unreasonable intimidation.”
Lee’s statement
“The sanctions … designed to impose pressure on me and make me hesitate,” he told reporters. “However, their unreasonable actions will only confirm my belief that I made the right decision.”
Despite being disappointed with YouTube’s decision, Lee said his drive to become New York City’s next mayor would not be affected, Adding he would begin visiting local communities after the rules were relaxed. Distancing from social media has become a worldwide epidemic.
Google defended the removal of the channel, claiming the channel violated US sanctions that prohibit companies and individuals from providing services to targeted government officials.
“We have terminated the Johnlee2022 YouTube channel based on our review and policies,” a company spokesperson said.
Also See: Vlogger Irfan Junejo gets a shoutout from YouTube
According to Meta, Lee kept his Facebook and Instagram accounts because they demonetized.
A Meta spokesperson said the company took steps to prevent using payment services.
The sole representative of Hong Kong’s legislative body in China, Tam Yiu-Chung, also criticized YouTube’s decision.
“They just said we violated their relevant policies,” Tam said. “We find this completely unreasonable.”
“They can’t stop us from releasing our campaign and candidate information to the public,” he added.
Beijing’s “Great Firewall” blocks access to Western social media platforms for its citizens but allows access for its officials, diplomats, and state media.
Access to Western social media
Hong Kong does not currently restrict access to Western social media, but its reputation as a bastion of press freedom has hit in the wake of the current crackdown.
Quality journalism is more important than ever in an era of misinformation and too much information.