Hong Kong's digital battle: tech that helped protesters now used against them

Wary of being tracked and targeted like activists inside China, protesters are keeping a low profile online

In early June, Ivan Ip, 22, joined a public chat group on Telegram called "Parade 69", named for a mass demonstration planned in central Hong Kong to protest a bill allowing for the transfer of suspects from the city to China. According to Ip, an administrator of the group of more than 30,000 people, they discussed things like bringing sunscreen, water, and umbrellas to block the sun or rain.

Two days after the protest, which saw as many as one million Hong Kong residents march against the proposed extradition law, authorities arrived at Ip's apartment in the evening. Banging on the door, they yelled: "Police! Open up the door!"