Fake News Incites And Misleads: Police Chief

The police commissioner on Sunday blamed what he called fake news for young people's misunderstanding about the government and the force, and said it has nothing to do with press freedom.

The latest policy address has named combating fake news something the government needs to do to safeguard national security.

Speaking on a radio programme, Raymond Siu said disinformation that emerged in the past two years has misled young people about the police, the government and the country.

"Fake news isn't something that you share mistakenly, but is a premeditated act to use deceiving means to incite and mislead people. This is absolutely not press freedom," he said.

"What is freedom based on? It's based on law and order and responsibility. If you don't respect the law, the rule of law, you are not qualified to talk about freedom."

The police chief added that despite a drop in crime figures in the first half of the year, he's concerned about the threat of terrorism, citing the stabbing of a policeman on July 1 and the arrest of members linked to a pro-independence group.

Siu said the force would step up intelligence gathering and called on people to report anything they see as suspicions to the police.