Hong Kong, already known for its vast network of surveillance cameras, is moving ahead with plans to expand its CCTV system significantly. On October 5, CNN reported that the Hong Kong police are pushing forward with an ambitious initiative to install thousands of additional cameras equipped with advanced facial recognition technology and artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed to track suspects.
Some experts fear that these measures will bring Hong Kong closer to the widespread surveillance system used in mainland China. A report by British cybersecurity firm Comparitech notes that Hong Kong currently has about 54,500 public CCTV cameras, which equates to roughly seven cameras per 1,000 people—fewer than London’s 13 but comparable to New York City.
Despite installing 2,000 new CCTV cameras this year alone, the police plan to add thousands more shortly. Critics argue that this move aims to emulate China’s approach, which has approximately 440 CCTV cameras per 1,000 people. China uses facial recognition and AI capabilities to monitor residents in the Xinjiang Uyghur region. During unprecedented nationwide protests against the government’s strict COVID-19 control measures at the end of 2022, Chinese authorities tracked demonstrators using CCTV, as The New York Times reported.
Concerns have grown over the potential for Hong Kong to adopt similar surveillance methods, especially since the 2019 pro-democracy protests. Protesters, wary of identification, often wore masks and goggles to evade facial recognition and attempted to block or dismantle CCTV cameras. While authorities insist that “smart streetlights” installed throughout the city are primarily for gathering traffic and weather data, many protesters suspect these lights double as surveillance cameras and have toppled them during demonstrations.
Joshua Wong, a student leader and activist currently imprisoned on national security charges, questioned the government’s transparency: “Can the Hong Kong government guarantee that it won’t install facial recognition technology on smart streetlights? They can’t, given the pressure from China.”
To address public concerns, Hong Kong police have issued assurances that the new cameras will only monitor public spaces, with recorded footage deleted after 31 days. They also pledged to adhere to “comprehensive internal guidelines” when handling personal data.
However, experts argue that the police have not disclosed detailed information about these internal guidelines, and existing laws, which tend to favor law enforcement, may not provide adequate safeguards.
Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, expressed concern about the potential abuse of the new surveillance system. “If the new CCTV is used under the extreme national security law, it could lead to political repression,” Chang warned.
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