# Hong Kong Business Integrity and Transparency Act

This bill requires the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate and report on what's happening with American companies operating in Hong Kong, specifically focusing on how they handle customer data and respond to requests from the Hong Kong government. Every six months, the Commerce Department has to tell Congress and the public what they've found out about these companies' practices.

The core concern behind this bill is transparency and accountability. When American tech companies, social media platforms, banks, or other businesses operate in Hong Kong, they collect information about their customers—things like names, addresses, browsing history, financial data, and communications. The bill wants to know if the Hong Kong government is pressuring these American companies to hand over that customer information, remove content from their websites or apps, or help with law enforcement investigations. It also wants to know which companies comply with these requests and whether doing so violates American consumer protection laws that are supposed to keep customer data safe.

The reports will need to include specific details: how many requests the Hong Kong government made, which American companies fulfilled them, what Hong Kong laws were cited as the reason for the requests, and whether any of this violated U.S. privacy protections. The bill essentially creates a public record of whether American companies are compromising their customers' privacy and data security when dealing with Hong Kong authorities. This matters to everyday people because if your data is held by an American company operating in Hong Kong, you'd want to know if that company is handing it over to foreign governments or removing content you posted without your knowledge.

Hong Kong Business Integrity and Transparency Act

Curtis, John R.

Hong Kong Business Integrity and Transparency Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to submit periodic reports to Congress on the protection of consumer information in the possession of U.S. firms operating in Hong Kong. The report must include information on requests by the government of Hong Kong for consumer information, content takedowns, or law enforcement assistance.