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Zoom closes account of activist after Tiananmen anniversary meeting

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Zoom founder Eric Yuan(Photo- Axios)
Zoom founder Eric Yuan(Photo- Axios)

By ChoekyiLhamo

DHARAMSHALA, June 11: Video-conferencing platform Zoom temporarily closed down the US account of Zhou Fengsou, who held an anniversary meeting on June 4 to mark China’s crackdown in Tiananmen Square. US-based rights group raised alarm about the incident on the fastest-growing video-meeting service. The virtual anniversary meet was attended by more than 250 people to remember the Tiananmen uprising on June 4, 1989.

Zhou Fengsuo, a student leader during the Tiananmen crackdown and co-founder of the group, told AFP that his Zoom account was reactivated on Wednesday. The company acknowledged that it had shut down and restored the account. “Just like any global company, we must comply with applicable laws in the jurisdictions where we operate,” a Zoom spokesperson said.

The rights group Humanitarian China said that it brought numerous participants from inside China for the virtual meeting but its paid account was shut down a week later without any explanation. Speakers included mothers of students killed during the 1989 crackdown, organizers of Hong Kong’s Tiananmen candlelight vigil, and others.

The activists were outraged with the company’s decision and said that it could have been under direct pressure from China. Zoom stated that one has “to comply with local law” as necessary actions would be taken to continuously review such content.

“Zoom is complicit in erasing the memories of the Tiananmen massacre in collaboration with an authoritarian government,” Humanitarian China said in a statement. It also remarked that Zoom is an essential medium to reach audiences inside China, which has been under heavy surveillance and censorship.

The international literary rights group, PEN America denounced Zoom’s move. PEN’s CEO, Suzanne Nossel said, “Zoom portends to be the platform of choice for companies, school systems, and a wide range of organisations that need a virtual way to communicate, especially amid global lockdown. But it can’t serve that role and act as the long arm of the Chinese government.”

Due to COVID-19 lockdown, Zoom’s earnings had soared by the end of April as companies and individuals worldwide use its online meeting platform. In May, Zoom announced that it would no longer provide free accounts to China-based users, citing “regulatory requirements.” The company continues to sell paid accounts in China.

 

2 Responses

  1. Boycott zoom now, it show that zoom is directly funding by corona communist China..

  2. Boycott zoom now and there are other options to live video.. it shows that zoom is a direct funding of corona communist Chinese government in the name of individual..

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