Nearly 40 per cent of Hong Kong secondary school students exposed to unwanted online sexual content or requests, survey shows
- Save the Children Hong Kong poll also reveals teenagers received unwanted requests for sexual photos or intimate details of themselves in past 12 months
- NGO calls for a new commissioner to ensure online safety for children, independent body on internet security
Nearly 40 per cent of Hong Kong secondary school students were exposed to unwanted online sexual content or requests, a survey has found, prompting calls for new regulatory bodies on children’s online safety.
Save the Children Hong Kong on Tuesday released the results of the survey, which polled 1,347 young people aged between eight and 17 during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Among the 1,097 secondary pupils who responded, 40 per cent claimed they had encountered at least one incident of unwanted online sexual content exposure, solicitation or experience in the last 12 months.
The ratio equated to about 130,000 Hong Kong secondary school students, the NGO said.
The survey also found that one in 20 teenagers experienced sexual harassment in the form of unwanted requests for sexual photos of themselves while another 10 per cent of teenagers were asked to provide intimate details about themselves.
