Latest news with #HKU
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Hong Kong university's AI deepfake porn scandal ignites debate
Find out what's new on ST website and app. HONG KONG – The potential dangers of using generative AI made the headlines in Hong Kong, after a student from a top local university allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to create hundreds of pornographic images of dozens of his female classmates and teachers. The incident has sparked calls for the government to update its laws to regulate use of the technology, as Hong Kong prepares to launch its first ChatGPT-style AI service this year. The case involving the University of Hong Kong (HKU) quickly gained public attention over the past week, after three victims took to social media anonymously to convey their unhappiness with the university's handling of the matter. According to what the victims shared on an Instagram post on July 12, pornographic images of around 20 women were found in February on the personal laptop of the HKU law student, whom they referred to only as X. The more than 700 photos discovered included original innocuous screenshots and digitally manipulated indecent images of women who were the student's 'friends, university classmates, seniors, primary school classmates and even secondary school teachers'. 'Upon questioning, X admitted to using photos of the victims… as material to generate these pornographic images using free online AI software,' the Instagram post read. 'It is understood that none of the victims authorised X's actions.' It was not clear how the images were discovered or whether he had distributed them. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes Singapore Male victim of fatal Toa Payoh fire was known to keep many things, say residents Singapore 5 teens arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Sport Saka the difference as Arsenal beat AC Milan at National Stadium Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him Singapore Over 1.15 million Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 have claimed SG60 vouchers Singapore Singapore Oceanarium will enhance tourism while supporting sustainability: Grace Fu The victims alleged that after the case was brought to HKU's attention in March, the university proposed only written and verbal reprimands for the student and cited legal advice that he was unlikely to have committed any legal offence. 'Most victims felt that the university's response was insufficient to hold X accountable,' the post said. It added that those affected considered existing legislation inadequate to address the incident, leaving them 'unable to seek punishment for X through Hong Kong's criminal justice system'. The three victims told The Straits Times that they filed a complaint to the city's equality watchdog, but did not make a police report as they believed that 'deepfakes, which represent a relatively new form of sexual violence, fall outside the scope of existing laws'. 'However, we hope this incident will raise public awareness about deepfakes and push for legislative reforms,' they said. They also expressed disappointment in online opinions, which have been split along gender lines. 'We call on the public to recognise the seriousness of sexual violence issues,' they said. 'Voicing out personal stories of injustice should never be framed as the promotion of patriarchalism or feminism; it should be understood as a basic right in a law-based society. 'The perpetrators should be the only ones condemned,' they added. In the wake of the scandal, the authorities have warned the public on the severity of such misconduct and said they would carefully consider how best to manage such cases. Chief Executive John Lee addressed the issue directly on July 15, placing the onus on the university to 'deal seriously' with the matter and to report it to law enforcement agencies if it constitutes a legal offence. 'The government will… examine global regulatory trends, and conduct in-depth research into international best practices to see what we should do,' Mr Lee added. Currently , there is no dedicated legislation in Hong Kong that governs the use of generative AI. It is an emerging field, and countries are still grappling with the regulatory aspects of the new technology's impact on employment, productivity, the economy and society. Following Mr Lee's comments, the city's privacy watchdog, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said it had opened a criminal investigation into the incident. HKU, meanwhile, said it had issued the student with a warning letter and instructed him to apologise to his victims. It also clarified that the university's investigation was still ongoing. Technology minister Sun Dong cautioned users of AI tools that they would have to ' bear the legal responsibilities' for how they choose to use them. His ministry, the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, said separately that the government would 'review existing legislation (governing the application of AI) if necessary'. 'The use of AI is a double-edged sword... The key is to have proper guidance and a comprehensive legal framework,' Mr Sun told local broadcaster RTHK on July 19. The minister's remarks came as he shared details on Hong Kong's first home-grown ChatGPT-style AI service, which is slated to be launched within the year. The DeepSeek-powered chatbot, called HKGAI V1, has already been tested in 13 government departments, and can generate content ranging from translations, meeting minutes and travel itineraries, to videos. 'It is an all-round working platform that can handle all kinds of tasks, like help you compose a report, lyrics, or even a song,' Mr Sun said. The service is free for all Hong Kong residents, who will be able to download it via the government's iAM Smart digital identity app, which is similar to Singapore's SingPass. DeepSeek is China's answer to the United States' ChatGPT, which is inaccessible in Hong Kong except through a virtual private network. OpenAI, the US firm behind ChatGPT, has blocked the AI chatbot's use in the city, mainland China, and Macau since July 2024. The confluence of HKGAI V1's upcoming launch and the recent HKU scandal has called to question whether Hong Kong is adequately equipped to regulate the burgeoning use of generative AI tools in the city. Professor Benedict Chan , director of Hong Kong Baptist University's (HKBU) Centre for Applied Ethics, said the ease of misusing the increasingly sophisticated generative AI technology has raised 'serious concerns about privacy, consent, and social trust'. 'The key challenge is to ensure that these powerful tools are used responsibly, with safeguards in place to prevent misuse,' Prof Chan, who is also associate dean at HKBU's faculty of arts and social sciences, told The Straits Times. As AI technology advances and its range of applications widen in scope, new laws should be made to fill any gaps, said Mr Alex Liu , managing partner at law firm Boase Cohen & Collins. 'Law reform in this area has been overdue,' Mr Liu told ST. 'There are fundamental issues that need to be addressed by the legal system, legislature and executive with regard to AI. For example, data privacy, intellectual property, liability in the event of accidents, and many other areas in which AI impacts our daily lives.' In the HKU case involving deepfake porn images, however, Mr Liu suggested that existing laws may already be sufficient to address the misconduct. The student could have violated laws in Hong Kong's crimes and personal data privacy ordinances 'if he used a computer dishonestly to create or distribute the images (or) if the AI-generated images were based on real photos of classmates or teachers (that) were used without consent', the lawyer said. The three victims suggested that legislation against deepfakes should cover their creation, distribution, as well as the potential risks that the fabricated content pose s. 'The non-consensual creation of these indecent photos have undermined our personal autonomy and dignity, and inflicted psychological damage on us, the victims,' they told ST .
HKFP
a day ago
- Business
- HKFP
Nat. sec clause in application for new scheme to convert commercial buildings into student hostels
A national security clause is included in the application guidelines of a new scheme that allows commercial buildings in Hong Kong to be converted into student hostels. The application guidelines were released on Monday, the same day as the Education Bureau and the Development Bureau announced that the Hostels in the City Scheme had started accepting applications. The new scheme has streamlined development control procedures, allowing commercial buildings to be converted into student accommodation to provide housing for local and non-local full-time students, the government said. According to the application guidelines, if any applicant 'has engaged in or is engaging' in activities which are 'likely to constitute or cause the occurrence of offences endangering national security or which would otherwise be contrary to the interest of national security,' the premises will be excluded from the scheme and the applicant will be barred from joining the scheme for the coming three years. During his policy address last year, Hong Kong leader John Lee announced the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand to attract more overseas students, especially those from ASEAN and other Belt and Road countries, to study in Hong Kong. He said that to increase the supply of student hostels, a pilot scheme would be introduced to facilitate the market to convert hotels or commercial buildings into student hostels 'on a self-financing and privately funded basis.' The government also said on Monday that applicants for Hostels in the City Scheme must ensure the premises are occupied by full-time local or non-local students of eligible post-secondary institutions. Currently, a total of 31 such institutions are listed as eligible for the scheme. Non-students, such as visiting scholars, are allowed to live in such accommodation, but the number should not exceed 10 per cent of the total residents. The applicants of the scheme must also make sure the hostels have 'effective access control,' and no part or parts of eligible student hostels, such as rooms, shall be sold off by whatever means. Shortage of student accommodation Hong Kong has seen a shortage of student accommodation as more and more mainland Chinese students are admitted to universities in the city. Real estate services company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) estimated in March 2024 that the influx of non-local post-secondary students would fuel a shortage of 22,300 bedspaces for students in Hong Kong in the next four years. Bennett Yim, director of undergraduate admissions and international student exchange at the University of Hong Kong, told local media outlets in October that HKU supported the government's plan to create the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand, but universities in the city found it difficult to accommodate overseas students. Yim said HKU would consider cooperating with private developers to build student hostels.
HKFP
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- HKFP
HKFP Monitor July 19, 2025: Revived talk of ‘soft resistance,' reactions to Jimmy O. Yang's tête-à-tête with John Lee
This week, we look at how top officials revived talk of 'soft resistance' as the national security law hit its five-year mark, while indie publishers launched their own book fair amid mounting scrutiny. We're also following a scandal at HKU involving AI-generated porn that surfaced on social media, a series of full-page attacks in state media targeting policy think tank Liber Research Community, and reactions to comedian Jimmy O. Yang's tête-à-tête with Hong Kong's leader. 'SOFT RESISTANCE' BUZZWORD RETURNS Top Hong Kong officials raised alarm over 'soft resistance' last month, as the city marked five years since the Beijing-imposed national security law came into effect. Culture minister Rosanna Law said it could show up in songs, performances, or storylines. Development chief Bernadette Linn warned it might even pop up during city planning. In short, it could be just about anywhere. The renewed focus signals a wider crackdown on perceived ideological threats, although the legal definition remains unclear. On June 30, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam tried to clarify. What is soft resistance? Lam said it involves three things: spreading false or misleading info, doing it in an overly emotional or irrational way, and trying to stir up misunderstandings about Hong Kong or Beijing policies. His explanation wasn't far off from what pro-establishment commentator Lau Siu-kai said back in 2021, after the term was first floated by then China Liaison Office chief Luo Huining. As authorities vowed to step up scrutiny, playwright Candace Chong warned that hunting for 'soft resistance' could turn into a campaign that 'disturbs people' and hurts local artists. Is it illegal? Security chief Chris Tang said in 2023 that Hong Kong's Article 23 security law would tackle 'soft resistance.' But the term isn't in the actual ordinance and has only come up in one court case — involving a busker playing a protest anthem. How the law will be used against such loosely defined threats remains to be seen. Every summer, Hong Kong's biggest literary event – the Hong Kong Book Fair – brings together publishers from across the city. But since the national security law kicked in, the fair has been under tighter scrutiny. The organiser, the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC), has received complaints about suspected violations and has barred some publishers over books related to the 2019 protests – sometimes even asking for specific titles to be pulled from shelves. In response, 14 indie publishers have once again launched their own event at Hunter Bookstore, now in its third year. Among them are Boundary Bookstore and Bbluesky, who say they were asked to remove certain books last year – and banned from this year's Hong Kong Book Fair. The pressure doesn't stop there. HKFP has learned that at least six independent publishers are facing tax investigations (tune in to our report on Sunday). Directors said authorities have requested detailed financial records, including personal transaction reports and bank statements going back to before some of the companies even existed. This year's alternative fair runs from Thursday to Sunday. So far, organisers say there's been no sign of government inspections — unlike last year, when officials showed up the day before opening, citing a complaint over the venue's entertainment licence. Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po ran full-page attacks targeting policy think tank Liber Research Community for three consecutive days this month. In its first article on July 8, the paper accused Liber of 'soft resistance' and using 'pseudoscience' as a cover. It cited remarks made by a Liber researcher at a forum on ecotourism, which was moved online after the original venue at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was abruptly cancelled due to 'urgent maintenance.' On July 9, Wen Wei Po criticised a Liber-Greenpeace report on Hong Kong's ecotourism policies, accusing the group of 'blind opposition' and a 'narrow' approach to conservation. The final piece on July 10 slammed Liber's study comparing airport retail prices with those in the city and at Taipei airport. The paper said the NGO had 'vilified' Hong Kong tourism and claimed its own checks found the price differences weren't significant. Brian Wong, a researcher at Liber, defended the think tank's research as well-founded, adding that its policy recommendations were 'for the benefit of Hong Kong's people and environment.' 'Our last report was solid, with methodologies, data, and case studies,' Wong told HKFP on July 8, adding that the NGO would continue its work. 'If they think what we're putting out is pseudoscience, more information is needed to substantiate their claim,' he said. Addressing the 'soft resistance' accusation, Wong said: 'We are just conducting research and making suggestions for the benefit of Hong Kong's people and environment.' HKU backlash: A scandal involving AI-generated porn images that broke on social media last weekend has prompted the city's privacy watchdog to launch a criminal probe. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is facing backlash after a law student allegedly used AI to create pornographic images of women – including some female classmates – without their consent. The incident came to light after three victims took to Instagram with accusations, saying the student had admitted to using social media screenshots to create explicit images using free AI tools. They posted on a page called ' – a name referencing South Korea's infamous 'Nth Room' cybersex trafficking case – which had over 2,470 followers as of Friday. According to the victims, the images were discovered by the student's friends on his computer. They estimated that around 20 to 30 women may have been affected. HKU came under fire for being 'too lenient' after only issuing a warning letter to the student. On Friday, the school said the letter did not mark the end of the matter. Jimmy O: Friend or foe? Also causing a stir, Hong Kong-born American comedian Jimmy O. Yang stirred debate online after his management company shared photos of him with Chief Executive John Lee during his visit to the city last month. Some Reddit users said they were glad they skipped the comedian's sold-out shows, accusing him of using his Hong Kong identity for profit. Others defended him, noting that the meeting and his paid collaboration with the Tourism Board were arranged by the government. Similar chatter popped up on Threads and Instagram, where some said it was 'smart' of O. Yang to post the photos after his shows, adding that being friendly with the city's leader was 'nothing personal, just business.' Hong Kong's biggest national security case saw new developments this week, as both prosecutors and jailed pro-democracy figures challenged the verdicts and sentences tied to the 2020 unofficial legislative primary election. The charge of conspiracy to commit subversion landed 45 democrats in jail, with sentences ranging from just over four years to a decade. The judges said it could take up to nine months before they decide on the appeals.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
HKU innovation hub must move forward, but community engagement is vital
Integration with the local community should be a priority for universities. Everyone benefits from the connections which enrich student experiences and foster innovation, so it has been disappointing to see growing tension between residents of Pok Fu Lam and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) over a planned innovation centre. The Global Innovation Centre will provide space for teaching, conferences, offices, staff quarters, catering and support facilities, and even landscaped areas open to the public. It is envisioned as a world-class, deep-technology research facility that will focus on the interdisciplinary, blue-sky investigations giving rise to innovative solutions to global challenges. HKU says the facilities are needed to attract talent the city needs to evolve into an international innovation and technology hub as envisioned in the national five-year plan. The sticking point has been over the centre's proposed location at a government-owned green belt along Pok Fu Lam Road. Residents have pushed back over concerns about traffic, environmental impact and a lack of consultation. The university has responded by downsizing initial plans announced last year to preserve more than 75 per cent of the green belt and shifting to a smaller nearby residential plot. Some residents say the centre should instead be built on nearby Mount Davis or land set aside for the uncompleted Northern Metropolis. University planners said Pok Fu Lam is a faster and cheaper option. It is also near HKU's main campus, Queen Mary Hospital and Cyberport – proximity that is needed to draw innovators. HKU said it held four meetings with district councillors and lawmakers and another three each with a residents' group and representatives from a nearby home for the visually impaired. Two groups representing residents said HKU only spoke with them for three hours and did not seriously consider alternative sites. The project is important and should not be delayed. Reasonable balance between the concerns of residents and planners must be found. It will require proper communication and dialogue, as well as neighbours being open and understanding about the project.
HKFP
5 days ago
- HKFP
AI-generated porn case ‘remains open,' warning letter does not mean closure, University of Hong Kong says
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has said the case of a law student accused of using AI to generate indecent images of his female classmates and teachers is not closed, despite having issued a warning letter to him. 'The University wishes to clarify that the case has remained open and under ongoing attention since the initial complaint was received. The warning letter issued by the University and the formal apology made by the male student are not a closure to the case,' HKU said in a statement on Thursday. The city's oldest university also said that its Equal Opportunities Unit 'has already been approached.' 'The male student expressed deep remorse for his actions, and has voluntarily withdrawn from a year-long overseas academic exchange programme in the upcoming school year,' it added. The HKU statement was issued two days after the city's privacy watchdog, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD), said it had launched a criminal probe into the scandal. The student was accused of fabricating pornographic images of around 20 to 30 women, using free online artificial intelligence (AI) tools, without their consent. He admitted to using photos found on the women's social media accounts to generate the 'deepfake' images, according to three anonymous victims who first made the allegations online. HKU has been criticised for being too lenient in handling the matter, as the male student did not face any disciplinary action. The scandal has attracted attention from the city's top official. On Tuesday, hours before the PCPD's announcement, Chief Executive John Lee urged universities to handle student misconduct 'seriously.' The Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (ACSVAW), also known as RainLily, said on Thursday that it had received 11 calls for help regarding AI-generated intimate images in its 2024-25 service year. The anti-sexual violence NGO said it received eight and seven calls, respectively, during the 2023-24 and 2022-23 service years. The NGO said that AI-generated 'deepfake' images could bring long-term harm to victims, causing them to worry about the spread of fabricated images of themselves on the internet. Its executive director, Doris Chong, said that society should raise awareness of sexual violence relating to AI-generated images and 'deepfake' technology. 'Fostering responsible use of technology is the only way to reduce gender inequality on the internet and sexual violence caused by technology,' Chong said in the Chinese-language statement.
