Hong Kong to Review Legislation for Children Using Social Media, Justice Secretary Says
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong government announced on September 18, 2026, that it will establish a dedicated task force to examine whether legislation or administrative measures are needed to protect minors from risks associated with social media and artificial intelligence. Secretary for Justice Lam Ding-ge said authorities are highly concerned about children's exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and algorithmic manipulation, and will study regulatory approaches from mainland China and other jurisdictions without simply adopting any single model.
Key Points
- The Department of Justice will form a "Children Using Social Media" Task Force to coordinate policy bureaus and departments in assessing risks to minors on social platforms
- The task force will review risks including AI interaction, exposure to harmful information, cyberbullying, and algorithmic content recommendation
- The Law Reform Commission is examining whether current laws on deepfake pornographic images and online fraud are sufficient, with a consultation paper expected
- Drafting laws to combat AI crimes will include maximum flexibility in wording, as current fraud laws place no restrictions on tools used
- The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau will recruit an AI officer by the second quarter of next year through open recruitment
Why It Matters
This review signals Hong Kong's attempt to balance protecting children online with fostering proper AI literacy, as jurisdictions worldwide grapple with how to regulate social media platforms without stifling technological development. The outcome could shape how Hong Kong regulates AI-generated content and algorithmic recommendations affecting minors.
This review signals Hong Kong's attempt to balance protecting children online with fostering proper AI literacy, as jurisdictions worldwide grapple with how to regulate social media platforms without stifling technological development. The outcome could shape how Hong Kong regulates AI-generated content and algorithmic recommendations affecting minors.