Category: MIL-OSI

OFNAA commends primary and secondary students for their creativity in promoting healthy Internet use  
     A total of around 22 000 primary and secondary students participated in the three competitions which offered 60 major awards altogether. The adjudication panel comprised OFNAA representatives and industry professionals. Winners from 22 primary schools and 14 secondary schools (the list is set out in the Annex) will have their works uploaded to OFNAA’s website 
     Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, the Assistant Director of Film, Newspaper and Article Administration, Mr Desmond Wu, said that while vast information is available on the online world, some of them may contain harmful content, such as videos and messages that promote violence and pornography, or distort values, which can profoundly affect the psychological development of young people. Sharing of harmful information on the Internet may even contravene the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (Cap. 390) (COIAO). To protect children and young people from the influence of obscene and indecent materials online, OFNAA has been adopting a multi-pronged approach through actively organising a variety of publicity and public education activities in tandem with proper regulation, so as to enhance the understanding of the public, especially children and young people, of the COIAO, encourage them to stay away from harmful information, and assist them in developing the concept of the proper use of the Internet. 
 
     In addition to organising the abovementioned competitions, OFNAA continued to enhance its publicity and education efforts over the past year, including arranging about 100 roving educational drama performances in schools and 270 school talks. OFNAA also set up in-school mobile promotion stations in 20 primary and secondary schools. Through interactive games, case sharing, role playing, quiz contests and exhibitions conducted in a relaxing and interesting manner, the message of healthy use of the Internet was embedded into campuses. Furthermore, OFNAA organised talks, workshops and online seminars for parents, participated in teacher professional development seminars staged by the Education Bureau, and held eight roving exhibitions in shopping malls and government premises in various districts. These activities attracted a total of around 200 000 participants over the past year with a fruitful result.
 
     Apart from actively conducting publicity and public education, and taking enforcement actions, the Government is also implementing a series of administrative measures to enhance the representativeness of the Obscene Articles Tribunal (OAT). These measures include increasing the number of adjudicators participating in each hearing for classification of articles from four to six, with an equal number of male and female adjudicators, and raising the total number of adjudicators from about 750 to about 1 000. In addition, to enable those who wish to apply to become adjudicator, the Government has already incorporated the “e-ME” Form Filling feature of “iAM Smart” into the relevant electronic application form 
     While the Government encourages the public to actively participate in the work of the OAT, OFNAA will also continue to take forward diverse publicity and public education work, and collaborate with various stakeholders to enhance public awareness of the COIAO and promote the message of staying away from obscene and indecent content on the Internet.
Issued at HKT 16:00

Well-Being·Start-Up expands sevenfold over two years with programme entering new phase and becoming regularised to add more shop quotas and reopen applications to support young people in pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams       
Breaking traditional boundaries to expand opportunities seven-foldIssued at HKT 16:26

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Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds at airport       
     A 57-year-old Japanese male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, that day. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds inside his check-in baggage and 98 alternative smoking products in his trousers pocket. The man was subsequently arrested.
      
     The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of importing alternative smoking products. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 6).
      
     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
      
     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
      
     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
      
     Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:26

PCPD and DPO jointly launch Safeguarding Personal Data AI Sandbox      
     The first phase of the Sandbox programme will be six months in duration, which aims to provide a collaborative platform for schools to explore and adopt AI solutions. During the first phase of the pilot, 15 school applicants will be selected to benefit from complimentary access to the PCPD’s regulatory guidance on personal data privacy protection, the DPO’s guidance on the Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline, as well as technical advice from Hong Kong Cyberport and the Hong Kong Productivity Council in implementing AI solutions, with a view to fostering school innovation while facilitating its compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and promoting the responsible adoption of AI technologies.

     The programme is now open for applications from publicly funded primary and secondary schools until October 30, 2026. A briefing session on details of the programme will be held on August 28, 2026. Interested schools may visit www.pcpd.org.hk/english/artificial_intelligence/index.htmlIssued at HKT 11:00

Music Office’s Instrumental Music Training Scheme invites applications from beginners 
     The scheme provides training in over 20 Chinese and Western musical instruments including erhu, pipa, suona, sheng, zhongruan, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trombone, euphonium, violin, viola, cello, double bass and others, with supplementary training in musicianship and theory for children and youths to develop their interest and potential in music.
 
     One-hour group lessons are conducted weekly in Cantonese at the Music Office’s five music centres in Wan Chai, Kwun Tong, Mong Kok, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan. An annual tuition fee of $2,430 for the first year and $2,970 for the second year are payable in four instalments. A fee remission scheme is available for trainees in need of financial assistance.
 
     Interested persons can visit the Music Office website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/training/instrumentalmusictrainingscheme.html 
     For enquiries, please call the Music Office’s music centres at 2802 0657 (Wan Chai), 2796 2893 (Kwun Tong), 2399 2200 (Mong Kok), 2158 6462 (Sha Tin) and 2417 6429 (Tsuen Wan).
Issued at HKT 12:30

Bus services to be enhanced to ease passenger flow amid ferry service adjustments on July 6