Posted on 04/03/2026 2:08:06 PM PDT by BenLurkin
US citizens traveling to Hong Kong are being warned that refusal to hand over passwords or access to their personal devices is now a criminal offense.
The US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macao issued a warning that the Hong Kong government has changed the rules relating to the National Security Law on March 23.
The change applies to everyone in Hong Kong, including residents, visitors and travelers transiting through the airport.
“It is now a criminal offense to refuse to give the Hong Kong police the passwords or decryption assistance to access all personal electronic devices, including cellphones and laptops,” the statement said.
The new rule makes it illegal to refuse police requests for passwords or assistance in gaining access to personal electronics, including cell phones and laptops.
Refusal to comply is now a criminal offense and can lead to up to a year in jail and a fine of up to HK$100,000, or $12,760 USD.
Those who provide “false or misleading information” could face up to three years in jail, the BBC reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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That should do wonders for tourism.
THAT SHOULD CRIPPLE THE TOURIST TRADE
Why not shut off all trade and expel all of their diplomats?
Just commies being commies.
My brother went to HK before England lost the lease and China took over.
He said it wasn’t much different before. Chinese everywhere.
Reciprocate immediately.
Welp, time to go back home.
Whoa. My former coworker and good friend has been in HK since November. He says his computer or phone won’t connect to the internet. He’s there visiting his girlfriend, crazy as that sounds. And he lives here in Florida.
If you are traveling anywhere outside of the US, it is wise to get a second phone with minimal personal information on it.
And know the rules before you go there.
Does that mean they have declared allegiance to China?
We have been in HK and China for the last 9 days. They’ve not asked us for this.
The law only applies if you are accused of a crime.
Many places have similar laws. I would bet that the UK and most places in Europe do then same thing. That doesn’t mean I like it, but this isn’t an unusual law.
You’re spied upon enough in the US - overseas it’s an order of magnitude greater. Leave your stuff behind and get a burner.
This is a misdirection. They already have all your information - because Google and Microsoft gave it to them in exchange for doing business there.
They should do that to their citizens over here, too.
This should be applied to Chinese students in the USA too. Jail them longer than Chinese jail terms and make their families feed them, or no food.
You do know the same thing happens in the States, right?
Customs and Border Protection officers are allowed to search your phone (without requiring a warrant) at U.S. borders and international airports, including reviewing texts, photos, and social media (and not only on phones, but also computers and digital cameras). The only difference between US citizens and non-citizens is that for Citizens they can’t deny entry to U.S. citizens for refusing to unlock a device, but for non-citizens they can deny entry.
So, the Red Chinese are not doing anything we’re not doing. What’s funny is that several countries actually recommend that their citizens carry second phones without vital personal, business, financial information when traveling to the States.
Which makes it a tad funny reading this thread.
I do.
I do.
How about the hell you say. I just won’t darken Honk Honk’s door.
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