Human Rights Watch took on Facebook Inc. over comments a company lobbyist made in The Wall Street Journal in early May.

In a May 10 letter made public overnight by Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, the organization’s executive director, expressed concern “about the human rights implications of Facebook’s possible entry into the Chinese market, particularly in light of Adam Conner‘s quote in the Wall Street Journal stating that the company may be allowing ‘too much…free speech.’ We urge that, as you work to define the terms of your entry, you do not collude with Chinese authorities in censoring political speech or helping them retaliate against Facebook users who want to benefit from the openness and connectivity that Facebook promotes.”

The letter goes on to mention specifics such as censorship and protection of users’ identities.

“This is a particularly perilous time for human rights activists in China…We have long believed that the internet has an enormous potential to advance human rights, but only if corporations safeguard the ability of people to use it freely,” Mr. Roth writes.

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes issued the company’s standard response to queries about its China plans: “Right now we’re studying and learning about China but have made no decisions about it or how we will approach it.”

Arvind Ganesan, director of business and human rights at Human Rights Watch, said Facebook officials had offered to meet with the group, but had as yet not formally responded to Mr. Roth’s letter.