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This is a big deal; the Hong Kong government has obtained a court order to collect payment records from mass transit and CCTV footage to try and identify demonstrators. If this tactic expands to cell phone records, a lot of people will be at risk. scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
Much of the defense against mass surveillance in Hong Kong boils down to recognizing that authorities don't want to make mass arrests. There's nowhere to put people, not enough staff to handle the case load, and it would radicalize people. But those are not absolute protections
Forget combing through records; police have had many opportunities this summer to arrest 500-1000 people in person. But they let them go. The real power comes from retrospectively being able to dangle a potential 5 year sentence over anyone they decide attended an illegal protest
