Don’t leave Hong Kong parents to their own devices on child social media use

Hong Kong, renowned for its high-achieving youth, has witnessed a concerning trend of children using social media extensively. Over a third of kindergarten pupils engage in at least an hour of recreational screen time daily, and by junior forms, this figure rises to 60%. Such excessive screen time leads to home disputes, constituting 85.5% of family disagreements. The question arises whether governments are adequately safeguarding children from screen addiction or if parents must manage this on their own.

Recently, Meta introduced alerts for parents whose children frequently search for suicide and self-harm content on Instagram. However, critics doubt this move stems from genuine concern for children's well-being, pointing out similar measures from Australia, which banned social media for those under 16. This stands in contrast to Hong Kong's cautious approach, where the government is hesitant to enforce such restrictions, citing potential impacts on innovation and freedom of speech.

The Australian ban, backed by substantial fines for non-compliance, signals a shift towards holding platforms accountable for their practices. Meanwhile, global lawsuits against tech giants like Meta and YouTube have prompted changes, including time limits and restrictions on harmful features. Other countries, including the UK and New Zealand, are also considering similar bans, recognizing the need for government intervention to protect children's mental health and well-being.

In Hong Kong, while the government is receptive to discussions on the matter, the current lack of concrete action leaves the responsibility largely on parents to manage their children's social media use.