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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Police to monitor public opinion around the clock
The newly upgraded police public relations wing aims to tell "good police stories" to the city and the world, said its head, assistant police commissioner (public relations) Joe Chan Tung.
The revamped wing is also dedicated to detecting and clarifying fake news online with a 24-hour public opinion monitoring system.
Chan said the public relations wing will use new technologies like virtual reality and the metaverse to help them send messages to the public.
They are considering doing this by using the metaverse to hold various events.
"Participants can attend the events as if they are in a live environment and there can be instant activities and communication," Chan said.
"But we still need to study whether the plan is feasible, what kinds of events it can be used on and whether there is room for further development."
The police will also enhance communications with media and the public.
Chan, who had worked at the police's liaison bureau that was responsible for contacting police forces around the world, said he aims to share the story of the Hong Kong police globally.
Chief superintendent Karen Tsang Shuk-yin also said they will enhance transparency on officers' daily duties by arranging more interviews and producing TV shows.
"As long as citizens understand what officers are doing every day, they will definitely support us," she said.
Tsang also said that the police will work hard at
cracking down of fake news using big data.
"We have introduced a 24-hour public opinion tracking mechanism, as we noticed that some fake news during the 2019 social unrest was very destructive," Tsang said.
"Some citizens still believe people died in the Prince Edward MTR station attack on August 31 and that arrested protesters were raped at the San Uk Ling Holding Centre," she said.
As fake news has a profound negative impact on the police image, the force needs to detect fake news fast and make clarifications.
It has no tolerance for fake news, Chan said.
"If we fail to clarify fake news in time, citizens, especially the younger generation, will have a misunderstanding of the government and the police force and even have hatred against the authorities," she said.
Chan also said there was a huge number of fake news in 2019 but the situation has become better after the national security law was implemented in 2020.
Chan said the public relations wing will use new technologies like virtual reality and the metaverse to help them send messages to the public.
They are considering doing this by using the metaverse to hold various events.
"Participants can attend the events as if they are in a live environment and there can be instant activities and communication," Chan said.
"But we still need to study whether the plan is feasible, what kinds of events it can be used on and whether there is room for further development."
The police will also enhance communications with media and the public.
Chan, who had worked at the police's liaison bureau that was responsible for contacting police forces around the world, said he aims to share the story of the Hong Kong police globally.
Chief superintendent Karen Tsang Shuk-yin also said they will enhance transparency on officers' daily duties by arranging more interviews and producing TV shows.
"As long as citizens understand what officers are doing every day, they will definitely support us," she said.
Tsang also said that the police will work hard at
cracking down of fake news using big data.
"We have introduced a 24-hour public opinion tracking mechanism, as we noticed that some fake news during the 2019 social unrest was very destructive," Tsang said.
"Some citizens still believe people died in the Prince Edward MTR station attack on August 31 and that arrested protesters were raped at the San Uk Ling Holding Centre," she said.
As fake news has a profound negative impact on the police image, the force needs to detect fake news fast and make clarifications.
It has no tolerance for fake news, Chan said.
"If we fail to clarify fake news in time, citizens, especially the younger generation, will have a misunderstanding of the government and the police force and even have hatred against the authorities," she said.
Chan also said there was a huge number of fake news in 2019 but the situation has become better after the national security law was implemented in 2020.
