香港警察改「傳媒代表」定義，決定只承認經政府認可的新聞機構的記者，極具爭議，引起香港新聞界的關注和批評。
警察公共關係科星期二向香港記者協會及香港攝影記者協會等4個新聞協會發信，表示警方將會修訂《警察通例》下「傳媒代表」的定義。在新修訂的定義下，警方認可的傳媒，只包括已登記「政府新聞處新聞發布系統（GNMIS）」的傳媒機構，以及「國際認可及知名」的非本地新聞通訊機構。先前認可的記者協會（HKJA）和香港攝影記者協會（HKPPA）會員證將不再被接受。
此舉是對本港新聞自由的直接攻擊，帶來了令人不安的廣泛影響。就在幾星期前，大約200名警察突襲了《蘋果日報》的新聞編輯大樓，並拘捕創始人和發行人黎智英。在過去的幾個月中，警方加大了無根據的指控，指抗爭活動中有很多「假記者」。
新政策出台前，警務署長鄧炳強曾為警員「不適當行為」向媒體道歉。此前警方在5月的一次抗爭活動中命令記者下跪，停止拍攝並向他們噴胡椒。
香港記者協會和攝影記者協會等8個香港媒體工會發表聯合聲明，指新政策「嚴重影響採訪和新聞自由」，這將加速香港走向極權統治的步伐。 他們要求廢除新政策。 否則他們將以「必要措施」作出回應。
聲明指：「警察未經討論和協商就單方面做出了這樣的重大修正，破壞了多年來建立的關係。」
特首林鄭月娥去年10月說，政府無意圖或計劃進行記者登記制度，更不會審核誰可以採訪。
Hong Kong police have controversially decided to recognise only journalists from news organisations accredited with the government, sparking concern and criticism from the city’s press groups.
In a letter to 4 local journalist groups from the police on Tuesday, only journalists from media organisations registered with the Government News and Media Information System (GNMIS) and “internationally known and renowned” foreign press would be recognised while credentials from the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and Hong Kong Press Photographers Association (HKPPA), previously recognised, would no longer be accepted.
The move is a direct assault on the city’s press freedoms, with troubling and wide-ranging implications. It comes just weeks after about 200 police raided the newsroom of Apple Daily and arrested its outspoken founder and publisher, Jimmy Lai. Police have in past months stepped up their unsupported accusations that there are lots of “fake reporters” at protests.
The new policy came months after police chief Chris Tang apologised to the press for “undesirable treatment” after some officers ordered journalists to kneel, stop filming and fired pepper spray at them during a protest in May.
In a statement jointly issued by 8 Hong Kong media unions, including the HKJA and HKPPA, the new policy “seriously affecting reporting and press freedoms” which will hasten Hong Kong’s move toward totalitarian rule. They demanded the new policy be scrapped. If not, they would respond with “necessary measures.”
“Police unilaterally made such a major amendment without discussion and consultation, destroying a relationship that was built over many years,” said the statement.
Last October, Chief Executive Carrie Lam denied rumours that her administration was considering introducing a system of centralised registration for journalists.
