Youth IDEAS Report 68: Fake News

Fake news is false or misleading information presented as news. It is often sensational and can damage the reputation of a person or institution. It is not a new concept, the term having first been used in the 1890s. This report discusses how to deal with the problem in Hong Kong today.

p 1894 illustration by Frederick Burr Opper With the advancement of online platforms and other internet services, people everywhere have new ways to connect, gather and spread information. Meanwhile, fake news has become an increasing problem in many regions in the world and many countries have taken action to limit it.

Concepts like disinformation and misinformation are intertwined with fake news. They all refer to false information that is spread with or without the intent to cause harm to individuals or society. Fake news has also been used by high-profile people to criticize any news unfavourable to them and to gain influence on social media.

In Hong Kong, disinformation has recently been the focus of growing attention. There was widespread disinformation during the protests in 2019 and the covid-19 pandemic. The Hong Kong government is considering the possibility of legislative intervention to regulate online disinformation and is conducting a study to examine overseas experience. However, the proposal to legislate against fake news raises concerns of dampening free speech and press freedom in Hong Kong. Although the Hong Kong government has no actual plan or timetable now, regulating fake news is a highly controversial issue and much more in-depth discussion is needed before decisions are made. This report explores the current situation in Hong Kong, how fake news might be defined and how legal and non-legal measures should be considered. Through a survey and interviews with experts, it also attempts to understand public perceptions, the effects of exposure to and spread of disinformation. Questions on attitudes towards legislation are included and strategies used in other jurisdictions are examined to see how well they might be adapted to fit Hong Kong.

Key points from respondents

● 66.2 % of respondents indicate that they had come across disinformation in the past 6 months. ● Among them, 83.9% say that they encountered disinformation on social media or messaging platforms and 41.2% say they encountered disinformation at least once a week. ● Among the respondents who had encountered disinformation, the main types were related to politics (74.1%) and the covid-19 pandemic (73.3%). ● 67.6% of respondents think that disinformation is a severe problem in Hong Kong. ● Most respondents believe that “waning confidence in the authorities” (53.0%) and the “serious social divide” (50.9%) are the main reasons behind the rise of disinformation. ● Concerning legislation against disinformation, survey respondents are divided with 39.3% supporting it and 38.9% against it. ● Their main concerns were restrictions on freedom of speech (71.8%), restrictions on freedom of the press (66.4%) and abuse of power (53.0%), should legislation be implemented.

Main points from in-depth interviews with scholars and experts

● The reasons for the spread of disinformation are multifaceted. Scholars and experts point out that it is particularly prevalent during times of social crisis. A polarized society and lack of trust in government are both crucial factors that contribute to the rise of disinformation. ● Scholars and experts suggest various factors for close consideration where legislation is concerned, including how to define the scope of legal boundaries, the means for deciding on the veracity of any information and potential difficulties of implementing any new laws. Comments from Youth I.D.E.A.S. think tank members

Ronald Chan, group convenor and Jenny Liu, group deputy convenor “Using legislative measures to deal with disinformation is highly controversial and varies among different jurisdictions. To avoid a strong backlash, the government should impose regulations that strengthen the supervision of internet companies and platforms rather than criminalizing individuals. Furthermore, sufficient explanatory work and consultation among different stakeholders should be done by the government to reach social consensus on the legislative process.”

Wisely Ngai and Ricky Szeto, group members “Relying on legislation alone is not enough to combat disinformation. It is important for the government to formulate multiple strategies. Fact-checking initiatives in Hong Kong are in their infancy. The government should promote such efforts by encouraging and subsidizing academic institutions to start fact-checking initiatives, as well as by investing in developing digital tools to support the work of fact-checking institutions. Moreover, the government should develop educational policy that cultivates media and information literacy for the whole society, including both students and the general public.”

Report No.68 HKFYG Youth I.D.E.A.S. Livelihood Group Published title A Study on the Rise of Fake News Respondents 740 15-34-year-olds More details in Chinese yrc.hkfyg.org.hk/wp-content/uploads/sites/56/2022/05/YI068_Full-Report.pdf Enquiries Iverson Har 3755 7042