Hong Kong to strengthen safeguards for minors’ use of AI and social media | Digital Watch Observatory

The Hong Kong SAR government has begun developing a multi-pronged approach to strengthen protections for minors using artificial intelligence and social media, according to an update published by the Digital Watch Observatory. The report says the approach includes consideration of legislative, administrative and educational measures. It follows the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address, delivered on 16 September, which proposed a dedicated task force on minors' social media use. Officials said any new measures would be subject to public consultation.

The article does not specify which legislative, administrative or educational measures are under consideration, nor does it give a timetable. It does not name members of the proposed task force. What it describes is a direction of travel: a government developing an approach, with public consultation stated as a precondition for new measures. As reported, the scope covers minors' use of artificial intelligence as well as social media.

The initiative is attributed to the 2026 Policy Address rather than to a specific incident or study. The task force proposed in that address concerned minors' social media use, while the safeguards described in the update also cover artificial intelligence. According to the report, no measures have been finalised and public consultation would come first. The article does not state when any consultation would take place. The Digital Watch Observatory item is an update on the Hong Kong SAR government's stated plans.