Why they say no to vaccine?

March 15, 2022

Some university students resist mandatory vaccination on campuses.

Amelie Yeung

Refusing to be vaccinated because of possible side effects, university student Reyna Wong* has to do self-tests every two weeks in order to attend lectures at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) campus.

“I have heard from my friends of their friends having abnormal and heavy periods after receiving the vaccine. I think women are more vulnerable to these side effects,” Wong, who is pursuing her master’s degree, says.

For Wong, the announcement of mandatory vaccination by CUHK in January means she may opt for suspension of studies.

“I will wait until the pandemic is over to continue my study. I will not get the COVID-19 vaccine no matter what,” she says.

As of 8 March, there are 497,000 reported cases in Hong Kong. Due to the outbreak, all universities have announced that classes will be conducted virtually.

In January, the CUHK Emergency Response Group announced that all persons on the university campus must have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination. Otherwise, their enrolment in both physical and online classes will be cancelled.

CUHK’s announcement of mandatory vaccination in January.

Other universities in Hong Kong have implemented similar measures.

The Hong Kong Baptist University required all students and staff to be vaccinated by late October last year. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) also requires anyone who enters the campus to be fully vaccinated starting from February.

Wong joined a Telegram group with over 1,700 members in late December last year to discuss ways to fight against the CUHK’s vaccination policy.

Chat group members exchange information about the virus, university policy and government measures.

“There are many reasons why students remain unvaccinated, like having medical concerns, and lacking trust in the vaccines’ effectiveness. Some believe we should have body autonomy,” Wong says.

She relies on the group for emotional support. “Without it, I may have gave in already. But being in the group and surrounded by like-minded people reminds me of the dangers of taking the jab,” she says.

The logo of the Telegram group opposing mandatory vaccination in CUHK.

In October, the chat group filed a petition voicing objection against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination or testing required by CUHK. It gathered over 2,700 signatures from students, staff members, and alumni.

The petition letter called for students and staff to boycott CUHK’s online vaccination report form.

Facing the tightening restrictions of CUHK, the group sent an open letter objecting to the university forcing COVID-19 vaccinations to President Rocky Tuan Sung-chi and CUHK Emergency Response Group in February. The university management has not responded to the group.

Side effects of COVID-19 vaccines

But science does not agree with the group.

In February 2021, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States found that six people developed a blood clotting disorder after receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, among the 6.8 million people who were vaccinated.

In April, CDC recommended that vaccination be resumed because the side effects are rare and the benefits outweigh the risks.

There is no evidence suggesting that the COVID-19 vaccine will affect menstruation cycles.

In July 2021, Clara Paik, clinic medical director of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of California (UC) Davis Health, an academic medical centre based in the U.S., suggested that changes to women’s menstrual cycle may be due to the stress of vaccinating.

Despite these findings, CUHK student Mary Fu* is still not convinced.

“My concern is that the vaccine may cause gene mutation. The vaccines are so new and no one knows what side effects it may bring. What if the changes surface decades later? It will be too late by then and our entire generation will be plagued by them,” Fu says.

The 21-year-old student also questions the protection rate of the vaccine. “Being vaccinated does not mean you will not get Omicron,” she says, referring to the latest variant of COVID-19.

A joint study by CUHK and HKU last December found that the protection rate of Comirnaty and CoronaVac vaccines are greatly reduced against Omicron, compared with previous variants. The amount of virus neutralising antibody levels in blood were less than that of the protective threshold.

But a third dose of Comirnaty vaccine provides protection levels of antibody against Omicron, while CoronaVac vaccine does not, according to the study.

Fear of Needles

Apart from health concerns, Alice Chan*, an undergraduate student at CUHK, refuses to take jabs due to fear of needles.

She recalls once being tied down by nurses when receiving injections for a nervous breakdown in 2017.

“It was traumatic. I was hysterical and cried and screamed for hours. I begged the nurses not to give me the injection, but they did not listen. Even recalling it now leaves my left arm weak and heavy,” Chan says.

Since then, the year two student cannot face being injected with anything again.

She has obtained medical proof for exemption from COVID-19 vaccination due to her unstable mental condition.

Tightening Restrictions

In the United Kingdom, 85 per cent of university students have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, according to a study by the Office of National Statistics in December 2021.

In contrast, the percentage of Hongkongers who have received two doses is 62 per cent, according to Our World in Data, a publication with its research team based in Oxford in December 2021.

To boost vaccination rate, the Hong Kong government has rolled out a vaccine pass, under which only vaccinated individuals will be allowed to enter facilities such as restaurants and malls starting from February 24.

Professor Lancelot Mui Wai-ho, a lecturer at CUHK’s Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, says he understands students’ concerns about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccine but notes they should get the jab.

“Globally, we have now administered over 10 billion doses of the vaccine. Our understanding of the vaccine is now much better than the early days,” he says.

“COVID-19 vaccination is about risks versus benefits. Without a clear and present threat of COVID-19 infection, students will focus on the possible side effects of vaccines and think that the risks outweigh the benefits,” Mui says.

“Vaccination is the only scientifically proven way to effectively protect society from getting overwhelmed by COVID-19,” he adds.

Mui asserts that taking the vaccine is not only for our own benefit. “If not enough people are vaccinated, the virus will continue to circulate in the community, and people who cannot be vaccinated will suffer,” he says.

“Taking the vaccine now will save the lives of many in the future,” he says.

The CUHK Medical Centre, one of the many healthcare institutions in Hong Kong that offers COVID-19 vaccination.

*Names changed at interviewees’ request.

Sub-edited by Leung Pak-hei

A good deal : Rice with two dishes

March 15, 2022

Takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes are thriving amid the pandemic.

Carrie Lock

While the catering industry is struggling to survive in the pandemic, some start their business selling takeaway meals with rice and two dishes to turn misfortune into fortune. One of them is Hong Kongers Family Food (香港人兩餸飯), a family-run food business which opened in September 2021.

“Customers prefer buying takeaway food to reduce infection risk. Our business has benefited from government restriction which bans dining-in after 6pm,” Ada Tsang Wai-yi, the 26-year-old daughter of the takeaway shop owner says.

“We were worried about the risk of running a takeaway food shop amid the pandemic. Our family needs to make a living. We thought the pandemic would not affect takeaway food shops much, so we decided to move our business to Quarry Bay as planned,” she continues.

Tsang’s family operated a takeaway food shop selling rice with two dishes in Tseung Kwan O for two years until July 2021. They now continue running it in Quarry Bay, where many offices are located, due to lease expiry.

The takeaway shop sells around 250 to 300 meal boxes a day, each box costing HK$32.

“Our shop is mostly visited by white collar workers. During lunch hour, there is always a long queue outside our shop,” Tsang says.

Customers are queueing outside “Hong Kongers Family Food” in Quarry Bay during lunch hour.

The number of food factory licence applications increased from 1,528 in 2019 to 2,021 in 2021, according to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. All takeaway eateries selling rice with two dishes with no seating are required to apply for the food factory licenses.

It took half a year for Tsang’s shop to apply for the license. “We hired a license consultant to help us with the license application so the whole process was easier,” Tsang says.

Competition is getting intense when more takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes join the market. Tsang’s shop faces three competitors in Quarry Bay.

“Our shop is in a small alley whereas other takeaway shops are in the main street. In the first month, we did not earn much as not many people noticed our shop,” Tsang says.

“We joined different food delivery platforms and launch new dishes every month to attract and retain customers. Gradually, the profit grows. Our turnover is now over HK$100,000 every month,” she adds.

A meal box with two dishes – chicken wings and radishes with pig blood curds and fishballs.

Rice with two dishes going viral online

The popularity of takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes spikes online. Andrew Wong Yuk-hay, a 44-year-old social worker, set up a Facebook concern group about rice with two dishes in December 2020. The group has about 65,000 members.

Wong says 5,000 Facebook users requested to join the rice with two dishes concern group within ten days after the government announced banning dine-in services after 6pm in restaurants on 5 January.

“I think takeaway food has become popular mainly because of the government ban on dine-in services after 6pm. Many people get off from work late, so they tend to buy takeaway food,” Wong says.

Wong recalls he had rice with two dishes at a factory canteen for the first time when he was a Form Seven student working as a summer part-timer in Ngau Tau Kok.

A map of takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes with information about pricing and shop location is created based on information Wong gathered from his Facebook group members.

A map of takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes including information about pricing and shop location.

The cheapest meal plan of rice with two dishes is sold at HK$17, while the most expensive one costs HK$55. Sham Shui Po, Yau Tsim Mong and Tuen Mun districts are the districts with the most takeaway food shops, according to the map.

“A lot of people want to know whether there are any takeaway food shops near their neighbourhood. The Facebook group can provide them with this information,” he says.

“I am motivated to run the group as rice with two dishes connects people with different backgrounds and political stances, allowing them to communicate without hostility,” he adds.

Wong also shares a dish picking tip. “It is wiser to order meat patties or steamed fish. The shop operator cannot secretly give you less portions as the customers can count the number of meat patties and fish in their meal box,” he says.

Leung Chung-hei, a 29 year-old driver, joined the group in December 2020. He says he did not consume rice with two dishes frequently before the outbreak of COVID-19.

“I eat it more often during the pandemic because there are more shops selling rice with two dishes which provide consumers with more choices,” Leung says.

Leung takes pictures of rice boxes he bought and shares eateries information in the Facebook group. “My favourites are chicken wings and fried chicken with lemon sauce,” he says.

Cheap price is another reason why he consumes rice with two dishes more frequently.

“Nowadays, it costs at least HK$40 to buy a lunch box with only one dish from a fast food chain restaurant. It is wiser and cheaper to buy rice with two dishes from takeaway shops,” Leung says.

An affordable option for grassroots

Rachel Lau Yin-shan, a community organiser of the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO), says takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes provide an affordable option to help ease financial burden of the grassroots.

“The demand for rice with two dishes has indeed increased under economic recession. The salary of the grassroots has been reduced and the minimum wage has not been reviewed for three years. Their income cannot catch up with the inflation rate,” she says.

“The demand for rice with two dishes has indeed increased under economic recession. The salary of the grassroots has been reduced and the minimum wage has not been reviewed for three years. Their income cannot catch up with the inflation rate,” she says.

Lau points out many low-income households working in retailing, catering and construction are troubled by unemployment, underemployment and leave without pay during the pandemic.

“Working mums have to stay home looking after their children as online lessons are conducted. They cannot work to make money,” she says.

“As the government banned dine-in services after 6pm, there are more takeaway shops selling rice with two dishes at a cheap price. Grassroot customers find it more cost-effective to buy takeaway than cooking at home,” Lau adds.

Customers are choosing which cheap meal boxes to savour.

Health tips from Dietitian

Registered dietitian Chloe Lee Wai-hang offers some health tips for eating rice with two dishes.

“The choice of dishes matters most. If we select two dishes with high calories, we may gain weight,” Lee says.

She points out that dishes with excess fat, high sugar and sodium levels are unhealthy as well. Absorbing excess saturated fat and trans-fat may raise people’s cholesterol level, while food with high sugar and sodium levels may increase people’s blood glucose level and blood pressure.

“Steamed pork patty with salted egg yolk, sweet and sour pork and scrambled eggs with shrimps are the top three unhealthy dishes,” she says.

Lee says the best combination for a rice box with two dishes is to order one vegetable dish and one meat dish.

“Mushrooms, broccoli, celery, tofu and bitter cucumber are good choices. Also, avoid choosing fatty meat like meat patties and beef briskets, lean meat such as fish and chicken fillet would be a healthier choice, “she says.

The Five Healthiest Dishes (Average calories) per 100g

Shiitake mushroom with broccoli 北菇西蘭花 (48 kcal)

Stir-fried chicken fillet with celery 西芹炒雞柳 (92 kcal)

Stir-fried bitter melon and beef 涼瓜炒牛肉 (94 kcal)

Stir-fried fish fillet with broccoli 西蘭花炒魚塊 (110 kcal)

Spring beans with minced pork 欖菜肉鬆四季豆 (130 kcal)

Edited by Angel Woo
Sub-edited by Leung Pak-hei

Too Sexy To Tell?

March 15, 2022

Chinese writers’ witty fight against government censorship.

Eve Qiao

Lucien Dong is a freelance writer of Jinjiang Literature City, a leading digital platform of online novels in China. Her first novel about a love story of two gay men was taken down by the website in early 2020 because it was said to contain pornographic content.

“I am still upset about this. I do not understand why my writing was taken down. I do not know how to fight my case, as this is my first time posting online,” the 20-year-old university student says.

Message for Lucien Dong from Jinjiang: Sorry, relevant chapter is banned or deleted by web administrator due to contents of obscenity, indecency or plagiarism. (Photo courtesy of Lucien Dong)

Her novel was banned due to description of sexual intercourse of two homosexual lovers in a few chapters.

“The description comes in naturally to fit the story plot. The website operator asks me to remove the part about sexual intercourse, but then my story will be incomplete,” she says.

Not only Dong’s fiction was taken down because of sexual content, other online publication websites including Qidian Platform in China have similar practices. They issue guidelines stating novels should not have sexual elements.

Grace Huang, who vetted written work for online novel websites from 2019 to 2021, says censorship is a serious problem for online publication.

“It is strange to me that sex actions below the neck are not allowed to be depicted,” she says.

“I passed a chapter containing a depiction of neck kiss in 2019. But it was still banned in the final round of censorship,” she recalls.

The 22-year-old part-time censor says censorship has become stricter in recent years.

In 2013, focus of the “Clean Up the Internet” campaign organised by the Ministry of Public Security was changed from online criminal activity to cleaning up pornographic content according to the Cyberspace Administration of China. It was said to protect young users.

To avoid censorship, writers such as Veronica Liu, who has been writing for two years, choose to publish her work on an overseas website to enjoy the freedom of creation.

First page of an overseas online novel website

“As the Chinese government continues to strengthen online content censorship, many authors and I feel frustrated about these restrictions,” Liu says.

“I write books to express myself, and I will not change my expression or ideas because of suppression,” she adds.

She has to use Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the overseas website in China.

“It is getting more difficult to use VPN because restrictions are getting stringent,” the 20-year-old freelance writer says.

Laws in mainland China specify the use of VPN as illegal and it is subjected to a fine of up to RMB ¥15,000 (US $2,360).

“I am worried about the future of online novels. I am also worried that maybe one day I cannot even publish my work on the overseas website,” Liu sighs.

After some chapters of Lucien Dong’s novel were taken down, she told her readers she could send the banned chapters through email to them. (Photo courtesy of Lucien Dong)

Another writer, Claudia Wang, who has been writing online fiction for nine years, finds other ways to maximise her freedom to write.

“We create social media groups in which we post our writing,” Wang says.

She says there are other ways to avoid censorship, including posting upside-down text of novels or using messy code as file names of novels when sharing online.

“Censors cannot recognise upside-down text and internet police will not find files with messy code as novels’ names,” Wang says.

“Writers always find ways to make sure their work can be published in its original shape. Creation is immortal,” she adds.

Katrien Jacobs, associate professor from the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, thinks sexual content is necessary for erotic novels.

“Many people want to share their sexual experiences and fantasies. It is generally a sign of a healthy culture,” Jacobs says.

“They are not just writing about sex. They are thinking about the future of sex,” the senior researcher of pornographic culture adds.

Jacob thinks censorship not only occurs in China.

“Some other countries have similar restrictions. However, I think the government can give erotic novels some room to grow,” she says.

But she is still optimistic about the future of online novels in China.

“Sometimes it makes writers feel sad, but it also means that they have to think about other ways of producing (novels). They may feel it is the end of the world when a new rule comes, but there is so much out there to look at,” Jacob says.

“I feel like there will always be a balance between the rules and how people reacting creatively. The imagination cannot be really stopped,” she adds.

Edited by Alina Chen
Sub-edited by Winkie Ng

Social Media Detox

March 15, 2022

Many have tried social media detox for better physical and mental well-being.

Karmen Yip

University student Edith Yeung Tsz-ning stopped using Instagram and Facebook for 10 days before her examination in November 2021 to focus on her studies.

“My learning efficiency was much improved as I was less distracted during my social media detox,” Yeung says.

According to Psychology Today, a magazine looking at mental health, social media detox refers to “self-initiated periods of abstinence from social media as a response to growing concerns about the over-usage of such platforms”.

Yeung used to be a social media addict and spent around 10 hours a day to satisfy her craving. She thinks social media makes her feel inferior when comparing her life with others.

“Especially during that exam period, I saw a lot of my friends posting photos taken in social gatherings whenever I scrolled through Instagram. I felt alone as I was always busy studying at home,” the global business student from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology says.

“People often say do not compare with others as we are all unique but sometimes it is human nature to do so. The social comparisons are further magnified as almost everything posted online is packaged,” the 18-year-old student adds.

After undergoing social media detox, Yeung feels healthier both physically and mentally. Instead of spending most of the time scrolling her smartphone and procrastinating on doing exercises, she now picks up old hobbies such as aerial yoga.

“I stopped being envious once I realised what people post is actually far from reality. Quitting social media temporarily was a great way to help me focus on my own life,” she says.

“I stopped being envious once I realised what people post is actually far from reality. Quitting social media temporarily was a great way to help me focus on my own life.”

Edith Yeung Tsz-ning doing aerial yoga after social media detox
(Photo Courtesy of Edith Yeung Tsz-ning)

Similar to Yeung, university student Madeline Ho Ji-yin struggled with emotional problems due to the use of social media. She went on a 14-day social media detox when preparing for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination in 2021.

“My friends used to post photos of them studying hard. It was like the academic stress existed wherever I went and whoever I talked to. Then I decided to take a break from all social media platforms, including Whatsapp,” the communications major student from Simon Fraser University says.

During the detox period, Ho learnt to take control of her own pace in life. She even taught herself how to play the guitar, which has since become her favourite me time activity.

The detox process was challenging for Ho as there were times when she had a strong urge to check social media. But she says it was mostly because she was curious about how her friends were doing and was afraid that her friends might find her sudden disappearance worrying.

Used to spend four hours a day on social media, Ho only spends one hour on these platforms now.

“Social media is no longer an essential part of my daily life. It has become something I only take a look at while waiting for a bus. Sometimes, I do not even bother using these apps for a couple of days,” she says.

Madeline Ho Ji-yin playing her guitar after social media detox. She now plays the guitar once a week.
(Photo Courtesy of Madeline Ho Ji-yin)

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is aware that young people like Yeung and Ho can easily fall for social media addiction.

She left the company and disclosed thousands of its internal documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States and The Wall Street Journal in September 2021.

The former Facebook employee said the social media giant is aware of its impact on teenagers during an interview with Scary Mommy, an online parenting website, in December 2021.

“Facebook knows that when it comes to addictive behaviour, teenagers are not as good at self-regulation as adults are… These things are like cigarettes: teenage brains are still developing, and kids say: I know these platforms make me feel bad, and I can’t stop, but if I leave, I’ll be ostracised,” Haugen said.

“These things are like cigarettes: teenage brains are still developing, and kids say: I know these platforms make me feel bad, and I can’t stop, but if I leave, I’ll be ostracised.”

“Facebook has realised that if they change the algorithm to be safer, people will spend less time on the site, they will click on less ads, they will make less money,” she said during another interview on 60 Minutes, an American television news broadcast, in October 2021.

Another former Facebook employee, Derek Chan*, thinks technology should not be held responsible for people’s addiction or the toxic comparison among people.

“Technological advancement is a must. It is common to see people’s filtered and beautified versions on Instagram rather than their true selves. Users should be aware that not everything on social media is truthful,” he says.

To tackle users’ social media addiction problem, Chan says tech companies have introduced measures that allow users to be informed about their own digital behaviour.

“Facebook and Instagram allow users to check the number of hours spent on the apps. As for Apple, people can see their screen time and set time limits for social media app usage. These features help users to be aware of their daily screen time,” he says.

Apple has introduced a “time limit” function so that users can set a time limit for individual apps like Signal on their iOS devices. Once you have reached your time limit, the iOS system will block your access to that app.

Dominic Yeo Tien-ee, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the Hong Kong Baptist University, points out that the pandemic has worsened the problem of addictive social media use.

“Social media has become a greater avenue for people to pass time when other entertainment and leisure outlets are closed during the pandemic,” he says.

Like the internet, smartphone or gaming addiction, Yeo thinks social media addiction can lead to sleeping problems and mental health disruption. He says many people thus undergo detox to combat the addiction.

He further explains that not everyone wishes to quit their social media for good, so they prefer to engage in “disconnective practices” such as social media detox, which entails a relatively short period of disconnection from these platforms.

But he doubts whether social media detox is the long-term solution to addiction and comparison.

“Social media detox is like a form of dieting. Like real dieting, people may rebound and gain weight that they lose,” Yeo says.

“Social media detox is like a form of dieting. Like real dieting, people may rebound and gain weight that they lose.”

“Unless social media detox is accompanied by long term changes in use habits, or else its benefits might be very limited,” he adds.

*Name changed at interviewee’s request

Edited by Kajal Aidasani
Sub-edited by Alina Chen

Big Brother is “Protecting” You: China’s Anti-fraud App

March 15, 2022

An official anti-fraud app promoted by the Chinese government is disliked by many young Chinese.

Leopold Chen

Hongkonger Gary Kuang*, who lives in Foshan, Guangdong, was detained for two hours, as he refused to let a police officer check if he had installed the National Anti-fraud Centre App in his smartphone on August 19, 2021.

“The officer stopped me when I was walking down a street. He asked whether I had installed the app. I said yes, but actually I did not. I just wanted to get rid of him. The officer then told me to show him my phone screen and I immediately told him he does not have the right to check my phone,” the 20-year-old student, who declines to reveal his full identity out of fear that the police may trouble his family, recalls.

Kuang was then taken to a police station and was detained.

“I do not want to download the app, because it can access phone users’ messages, app installation, websites visiting records and track the use of VPN,” Kuang says.

Kuang, who now studies in Beijing, says his college also requires students to download the app and send a screenshot to the class WeChat group to prove they have downloaded it.

“When asked whether I had downloaded it, I directly said no. I told the college that I would not install it and they did not trouble me further,” Kuang says.

“I do not want to download the app, because it can access phone users’ messages, app installation, websites visiting records and track the use of VPN.”

A “Super Warship” is Watching You

The app was developed by the police and launched in early March last year. It has been promoted by the authorities nationwide in China.

People have been told to install the app by various parties, including property management staff of their residence and their working units.

The Guangzhou Daily, owned by the Guangzhou Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, stated the app is a “super warship” against frauds.

“With the app, users can easily report frauds and evaluate risks. The app also alerts users of possible scams and exposes the latest scam cases,” the newspaper reported.

The app requires 29 permissions from a user’s device, including reading and removing incoming messages without telling the user and editing system settings. Users must also enter their identification numbers and home addresses when registering for it.

Information Accessed by the National Anti-Fraud App

Messages on users’ phones

Identity document number

Residential address

Facial information

Ubiquitous Promotion

The authorities have mobilised civil servants to promote the app and urge the public to download it.

Tia Huang*, a university student union member in Shenzhen, Guangdong who declines to reveal her identity, is one of those who has been assigned to promote the app on campus.

“We were required to start promoting the app in late March by a teacher from the Youth League Committee. We promoted anti-fraud information on the campus vaccination site. App installation was voluntary,” Huang says.

Huang reveals that the student union organised lucky draws for those who had downloaded the app on the vaccination site as soon as they finished downloading. She says prizes such as speakers and earphones were donated by district police.

“As far as I know, the district police ordered my university to help promote the app on campus. Then the university assigned the task to us,” she says.

The promotion stopped in late April 2021 after some students complained about the privacy risks of using the app.

Huang confesses that she does not know the functions of the app well and she dislikes the way the app is promoted.

“I do not know what is special about the app except that it can identify suspicious calls and messages. It is nothing new. Other apps can also do it. Its functions are not clearly stated and cannot convince me (of its effectiveness),” she says.

Huang says her friends, whose parents work for the police force, asked her to do them a favour by downloading the app.

“Officers are required to ask at least five people to download the app in order to meet the quota given to them. My mom, who is a civil servant, also told me to download the app,” she says.

“I do not know what is special about the app except that it can identify suspicious calls and messages. Its functions are not clearly stated and cannot convince me (of its effectiveness).”

App As A Surveillance Tool

Tomoko Ako, a professor from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Tokyo, says the Chinese government is strengthening its surveillance system in the name of protecting people’s rights and safety.

“When everyone is watched by Big Brother, people cannot create and express themselves freely due to fear,” Ako says.

Ako also points out that her colleagues are forced to install Chinese apps like Tencent Meeting to join academic activities with Chinese institutes.

“China is not a democratic country. The authorities can control everything in cyberspace,” she says.

“Chinese apps ranging from banking apps to video streaming platforms have been found to excessively collect sensitive user data, often without user consent,” The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab stated in a report published in January 2022.

The report scrutinises the privacy risks and censorship problems of My2022, an app which all attendees of the Beijing Winter Olympics are required to download.

But Ako remains optimistic that people can voice opposition to the National Anti-fraud Centre App.

“The internet industry is productive in China. I think the Chinese government will not shut down everything online. So people can still express their ideas,” Ako says.

“I doubt the app is about countering scams. It is important for the government to explain more, such as on how the users’ data will be collected and stored,” she adds.

“I think the Chinese government will not shut down everything online. So people can still express their ideas.”

Edited by Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Angel Woo

Online Fandom after Crackdown

January 28, 2022

Reporter: Alina Chen

Editor: Fiona Cheung, Linn Wu

Chaos involving online fandom in China has captured public attention in the early half of 2021. The Cyberspace Administration of China launched Qinglang campaign as an attempt to restrict online fandom activities on June 15 last year. Fans have mixed feelings about the change it brings.

Sketching the History of Hong Kong

January 25, 2022

Reporters: Felicia Lam, Winkie Ng

Editors: Eve Lee, Soweon Park

City sketchers in Hong Kong record the scenery of the city highlighting heritage buildings with brushes and paint to preserve the history of Hong Kong. Noble Wong Chi-ho published a book with his painting collections in 2018, while others organise themselves into groups to sketch heritage buildings in different parts of Hong Kong.

Breaking into the Game

January 25, 2022

Reporters: Chaelim Kim, Gloria Chan, Leung Pak-hei

Editors: Charlie Yip, Gloria Wei, Lynne Rao

As breakdancing has been selected as an official sport in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hong Kong breakdancers are competing to become representatives of the Hong Kong team. But these passionate dancers also face challenges, such as lack of resources and government support.

Students Go, Students Come

January 25, 2022

Reporters: Ella Lang, Gabriella Lynn, Jack Deng, Ryan Li

Editors: Coco Zhang, Vivian Cao

Due to the pandemic and the Hong Kong national security law, more mainland Chinese postgraduate students have changed their destination to Hong Kong when planning to study abroad.

Seeking Affordable and Liveable Roofs Over Heads

January 25, 2022

Reporter: Kajal Aidasani

Editors: Kelly Yu, Isaiah Hui

Subdivided flats tenants find an upcoming legislation that caps rental increase by 10 per cent starting from January 2022 useless. They think the city’s problem of unaffordable housing still remains and grassroots like themselves are not being offered with enough help.