ICAC To Keep Pace with the Youth Net Trend
2000-1-25
The ICAC is to allocate more resources to instil positive values in the younger generation through the Internet in order to keep pace with the fast-evolving cyber world.
Releasing the findings of a survey on youth behaviour on the Internet, the ICAC ' s Assistant Director of Community Relations, Ms Fanny Wong, noted that wiring was now part of young people ’ s daily activities.
She said the Commission, in view of the survey findings, would devote more resources to moral education by reaching the youth through the cyber world.
The survey, commissioned by the ICAC, was conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in September 1999.
Ms Wong noted that the survey showed that young people tended to have some negative values or behaviour on the Internet. “ This gives youth workers cause for concern, ” Ms Wong said.
A total of 938 full-time students studying Form 1 or above (including tertiary students) were interviewed by telephone in September 1999. Of them, 658 with on-line experience were successfully interviewed, representing a response rate of 44 per cent.
Respondents in general agreed to adopt positive values such as self-discipline and observance of laws and regulations on the Internet, according to the survey. Ninety-four percent of respondents agreed that copyrights laws should be respected while using the Net. Between 80 to 90% of them disapproved “ negative ” on-line behaviour, such as “ One can send junk mail through the Internet ” , “ Users need not consider legal consequences ” and “ One can indiscriminately be rude to others on the Internet ” .
In addition, 87% of the respondents agreed that one should not “ visit obscene or indecent web sites ” .
The survey showed that most of the respondents had observed the laws and regulations and had behaved themselves on the Net, with 94% and 91% respectively saying they had never
“ used other people ' s passwords without their consent ” and “ hacked into others ’ computer systems ” . Eighty-five per cent said they had never “ used foul languages ” on the Net while 73 per cent had never accessed obscene or indecent materials through the Net.
The respondents, however, were divided over values related to behaviour on ICQ. Sixty-five per cent of them felt that “ lying ” was an acceptable way of protecting themselves on ICQ. This is despite the fact that 64 per cent considered it immoral to tell lies.
The respondents were also split on whether it was wrong to use false personal data on ICQ. About 45 per cent considered it right to use false personal data on ICQ while 43 per cent held the opposite view. About 49 per cent of the respondents had used fals e personal data when releasing information on the Net while 51 per cent had used false personal data to make friends.
The survey also found that the longer the respondents were hooked to the Net on a daily basis, the higher the frequency of negative behaviour. The on-line behaviour of senior high school students was found to be less desirable compared with other groups s urveyed which Ms Wong said gave youth workers cause for concern.
Ms Wong said it was of great importance for the ICAC to step up moral education for the youth in light of the growing popularity of the Internet. The ICAC will host a youth seminar in February to provide a forum for parents, school headmasters, teachers a nd social workers to exchange their views on youth behaviour on the Net and study the way forward.
Other youth education programmes planned by the ICAC include a youth web page to be launched in April and a youth summit in summer for young people to explore their roles in the new century.
The ICAC believed corruption prevention should take root among the younger generation, Ms Wong said. The Commission would seek to keep its finger on the pulse of the young people as it mapped out its moral education strategy for the youth, she said.
Releasing the findings of a survey on youth behaviour on the Internet, the ICAC ' s Assistant Director of Community Relations, Ms Fanny Wong, noted that wiring was now part of young people ’ s daily activities.
She said the Commission, in view of the survey findings, would devote more resources to moral education by reaching the youth through the cyber world.
The survey, commissioned by the ICAC, was conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in September 1999.
Ms Wong noted that the survey showed that young people tended to have some negative values or behaviour on the Internet. “ This gives youth workers cause for concern, ” Ms Wong said.
A total of 938 full-time students studying Form 1 or above (including tertiary students) were interviewed by telephone in September 1999. Of them, 658 with on-line experience were successfully interviewed, representing a response rate of 44 per cent.
Respondents in general agreed to adopt positive values such as self-discipline and observance of laws and regulations on the Internet, according to the survey. Ninety-four percent of respondents agreed that copyrights laws should be respected while using the Net. Between 80 to 90% of them disapproved “ negative ” on-line behaviour, such as “ One can send junk mail through the Internet ” , “ Users need not consider legal consequences ” and “ One can indiscriminately be rude to others on the Internet ” .
In addition, 87% of the respondents agreed that one should not “ visit obscene or indecent web sites ” .
The survey showed that most of the respondents had observed the laws and regulations and had behaved themselves on the Net, with 94% and 91% respectively saying they had never
“ used other people ' s passwords without their consent ” and “ hacked into others ’ computer systems ” . Eighty-five per cent said they had never “ used foul languages ” on the Net while 73 per cent had never accessed obscene or indecent materials through the Net.
The respondents, however, were divided over values related to behaviour on ICQ. Sixty-five per cent of them felt that “ lying ” was an acceptable way of protecting themselves on ICQ. This is despite the fact that 64 per cent considered it immoral to tell lies.
The respondents were also split on whether it was wrong to use false personal data on ICQ. About 45 per cent considered it right to use false personal data on ICQ while 43 per cent held the opposite view. About 49 per cent of the respondents had used fals e personal data when releasing information on the Net while 51 per cent had used false personal data to make friends.
The survey also found that the longer the respondents were hooked to the Net on a daily basis, the higher the frequency of negative behaviour. The on-line behaviour of senior high school students was found to be less desirable compared with other groups s urveyed which Ms Wong said gave youth workers cause for concern.
Ms Wong said it was of great importance for the ICAC to step up moral education for the youth in light of the growing popularity of the Internet. The ICAC will host a youth seminar in February to provide a forum for parents, school headmasters, teachers a nd social workers to exchange their views on youth behaviour on the Net and study the way forward.
Other youth education programmes planned by the ICAC include a youth web page to be launched in April and a youth summit in summer for young people to explore their roles in the new century.
The ICAC believed corruption prevention should take root among the younger generation, Ms Wong said. The Commission would seek to keep its finger on the pulse of the young people as it mapped out its moral education strategy for the youth, she said.