Safeguarding fundamental privacy rights is our top priority
The Chinese government recently passed a security law that applies to the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong. The law directly challenges user privacy by permitting the Chinese government to request that companies turn over data from users the Chinese government deems a threat to its national security. This has been heavily criticized by privacy and human rights advocates alike, as the data obtained by the government could be used as evidence against everyday people. In response to these events, Avast has temporarily moved the servers for our VPN business out of Hong Kong, and we now redirect our Hong Kong customers' traffic to nearby locations (more on this below).
Some background info on the Chinese political situation
In February 2019, the government of Hong Kong attempted to pass a law that would allow the Chinese government to extradite alleged criminals in the city to mainland China. Many feared this would enable the party to suppress free speech, detain critics and attack anyone who opposed them.
Protests that were broadcast around the globe erupted, inspiring those who advocate for freedom of speech and the right to privacy. Ultimately, the extradition bill didn’t pass, but by that point, the protests had grown in scope and scale. They led to Hong Kong’s Chinese-controlled Congress passing new security legislation giving it unprecedented levels of power and control over the once largely independent territory.
This new legislation not only empowers the Chinese government to imprison dissenters but also criminalizes communications tools and methods that they use to express their dissent.
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