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Zoom admits China demanded suspension of Tiananmen activists’ account
Taiwan News ^ | 2020/06/12 13:48 | Ching-Tse Cheng

Posted on 06/12/2020 4:59:15 AM PDT by Tai_Chung

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Zoom Video Communications Inc on Thursday (June 11) admitted it had suspended the account of a U.S.-based Chinese dissident group due to pressure from Beijing, adding the company would no longer accept requests from the Chinese government that would impact users outside of the East Asian nation.

Earlier this month, civil rights group Humanitarian China, founded by a student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Zhou Fengsuo (周鋒鎖), decided to organize a commemoration of Beijing's crackdown on pro-democracy activists, which the Chinese government had forbidden its citizens from observing. However, the group's account was deactivated one day after the Tiananmen anniversary, along with those set up by other Tiananmen leaders, including Wang Dan (王丹).

The suspension of the accounts raised international concerns over the company's security as well as the reach of the Chinese government's censorship beyond its territory. Although Zoom had acknowledged the shutting down of Zhou and Wang's accounts and reinstated them, the nine-year-old company had not offered a clear explanation behind its decision until late Thursday, according to CNA.

In a company blog post shared on Twitter, Zoom noted the Chinese authorities had alerted it to four Tiananmen-related meetings that would be hosted on its platform and demanded termination of the sessions and their host accounts. The company said its action "fell short" and that it would no longer comply with Beijing's requests to block users outside of China.

Zoom emphasized that its principle of following local laws should not have impacted users who live in other countries. It said its decision to shut down three accounts based in Hong Kong and the U.S. was regrettable, but explained the Chinese government had informed the company the commemoration was illegal in China.

Zoom added that it would develop new features to block individual users based on geography, which could help the company meet government requirements, without interrupting calls hosted outside of the regulated areas. It also promised to improve and outline its global policy, as part of the company's transparency report, which it said would be published before June 30.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bing; china; microsoft; tankman; tiananmen; tiananmensquare; toolsoftyranny; zoom

1 posted on 06/12/2020 4:59:15 AM PDT by Tai_Chung
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To: Tai_Chung

This is the second time I’ve heard about them being under the control of the retarded Chinese.

Zoom needs to be boycotted


2 posted on 06/12/2020 5:04:33 AM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Tai_Chung

Eff China.


3 posted on 06/12/2020 5:05:09 AM PDT by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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To: Tai_Chung; Army Air Corps
Zoom is a Private Company, the can do what they like.

Zoom is a Private Company, the can do what they like.

Zoom is a Private Company, the can do what they like.

Zoom is a Private Company, the can do what they like.

4 posted on 06/12/2020 5:13:45 AM PDT by KC_Lion
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans
Zoom needs to be boycotted.

Considering the apps notoriously poor security, why anyone would use it is beyond my comprehension

5 posted on 06/12/2020 5:14:14 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
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To: KC_Lion
If you repeat it often enough, than it becomes the truth right?

Right?

6 posted on 06/12/2020 5:14:20 AM PDT by KC_Lion
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To: KC_Lion
Zoom is a Private Company, the can do what they like.

If only the world really worked like that.

7 posted on 06/12/2020 5:16:02 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans; All
Zoom needs to be boycotted

Yes our church has been using Zoom exclusively for virtual meetings, bible studies, etc. during this phony shutdown. I will inform the pastor (also my employer) that I can no longer in good conscience use this service, and point out the repression that Chinese Christians and others are experiencing at the hands of the communists. I expect repercussions.
8 posted on 06/12/2020 5:17:30 AM PDT by notdownwidems (Washington D.C. has become the enemy of free people everywhere!)
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To: KC_Lion; Tai_Chung; Army Air Corps
If you repeat it often enough, than it becomes the truth right?

It’s my baseball and I’m going to take it and go home!!!

9 posted on 06/12/2020 5:18:24 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
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To: KC_Lion

Zoom is a Private Company, the can do what they like


Wrong. Zoom is a Communist Chinese controlled company and should be banned in the USA. Nothing private about it.


10 posted on 06/12/2020 5:21:10 AM PDT by Starcitizen (Communist China needs to be treated like the pariah country it is. Send it back to 1971)
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To: Pontiac; Tai_Chung; Army Air Corps; Starcitizen
I am sure the CCP's input was only "advisory"

Who Is Jesse Palmer? 4 Facts About 'The Proposal' Host

11 posted on 06/12/2020 5:22:08 AM PDT by KC_Lion
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To: Starcitizen

No such thing as a Private Company, anymore.


12 posted on 06/12/2020 5:23:17 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: KC_Lion
Just a hit of a suggestion


13 posted on 06/12/2020 6:25:56 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
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