52% of Hong Kong’s underprivileged children spend over 2 hours a day on devices

A recent survey has revealed that over half of Hong Kong's underprivileged children spend more than two hours daily on electronic devices. Many use screens as a low-cost form of entertainment, despite causing issues such as poor vision, attention, sleep, and addiction. The Society for Community Organisation (SoCO), a community group, released these findings and called for authorities to take action.

Wong Chi-yuen, an assistant director at SoCO, stated that 52 percent of children exceed the recommended screen time for their age group. The group urged authorities to keep students on campus longer, introduce full-day kindergartens, and subsidize more extracurricular activities for underprivileged pupils. The survey covered 254 children from underprivileged families, with nearly 60 percent of their families earning between HK$10,000 and HK$20,000 per month.

Daily screen time varied by age, with six to eight-year-olds averaging 4.53 hours and 15 to 18-year-olds logging 8.53 hours. The survey also found that close to three-quarters of the children needed devices for online homework, while 72 percent watched videos and 58 percent played games. The group recommended extended school hours, full-day kindergartens, and after-class campus facilities to provide healthier alternatives to screen time.