Twitter: China aims at Hong Kong protest

Twitter said Monday it was suspending nearly a thousand Chinese accounts and banning advertising from state-owned media companies, citing a “significant state-backed information operation” related to protests in Hong Kong.

The accounts were part of a larger network of roughly 200,000 accounts that were proactively deleted before they were substantially active, Twitter said in a blog. That’s despite Twitter being blocked in China, the company added.

“Overall, these accounts were deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground,” Twitter said. “Based on our intensive investigations, we have reliable evidence to support that this is a coordinated state-backed operation.”

Separately, Facebook said Monday it was removing five Facebook accounts, seven pages and three groups after being tipped off by Twitter.

A Twitter spokesman declined additional comment. The company said that the accounts it suspended were accessed from VPNs or unblocked IP addresses originating from China.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have been demonstrating for an autonomous Hong Kong over the past two months, including a peaceful march Sunday. Hong Kong police have deployed unprecedented force, including in residential neighborhoods, and made more than 700 arrests to discourage further unrest. Protesters and pro-establishment groups have clashed violently. And Beijing has ramped up pressure.