Hong Kong educators want a social media ban for under-16s. The government says it has no plans to legislate.

Hong Kong educators and a lawmaker are urging the city to ban children under 16 from social media, calling addiction “the biggest problem facing education.” At a panel discussion this week, Lilian Chan Lui Ling-yee, honorary president of the Yan Oi Association of Principals, said legislation was needed to protect the next generation. A survey found 62% of Hong Kong residents support a legislative ban, with support rising to 76% among parents. Legislative Council member Lawrence Tang Fei said social media is developing too fast for education alone to keep pace.

The government is not moving. Hong Kong’s technology chief has explicitly ruled out legislation, citing enforcement challenges, cross-border jurisdiction issues, and concerns about damaging the city’s technology ecosystem. The position puts Hong Kong behind Australia, which banned under-16s in December 2025, the UK, which is implementing its own ban, and France, Spain, and Portugal, which are all advancing similar measures. Hong Kong’s approach focuses on education, health guidance, and monitoring what other countries do, rather than acting itself.

The enforcement problem is real everywhere. Australia’s age-verification trial found its technology could be wrong by two to three years. Hong Kong’s fragmented digital ecosystem adds complexity: children use platforms based in mainland China, the US, and elsewhere, each subject to different jurisdictions. Wu Siu-wai, a lecturer at the Education University of Hong Kong, said the city should at least understand the overseas legislative landscape before deciding, adding that “how to legislate and the extent of restrictions are topics for follow-up discussion.”

The gap between public opinion and government action is striking. Nearly two-thirds of residents want a ban. The government’s tech chief says no. A New Mexico court just ordered Meta to pay $567 million for harm to children on its platforms, the kind of enforcement action that tends to concentrate minds in other capitals. Hong Kong is watching the world legislate on child safety and choosing, for now, to study the results rather than contribute to them.