The Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration (OFNAA) earlier organised the "Healthy Student Video Contest 2024" under the theme "Healthy Media, Infinite Creativity" to enhance youngsters' understanding of the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (Cap. 390) (COIAO) through video production activities, and to encourage them to stay away from objectionable materials on the Internet. OFNAA held the prize presentation ceremony today (June 29) to present awards to the winning teams.
A total of seven primary schools and 15 secondary schools participated in the contest, which consists of Primary School Group and Secondary School Group. Adjudication panel of the contest comprised film industry professionals, media artists, university lecturers and OFNAA representatives.
The winning entry of the Primary School Group, titled "Simple and Direct", was produced by S.K.H St. Michael's Primary School. It appealed to the audience to stay away from objectionable videos in a vivid and interesting way. The winning entry of the Secondary School Group, titled "Entangled", was produced by Lok Sin Tong Yu Kan Hing Secondary School. The entry featured scary ghosts to mimic objectionable materials, bringing out the message that objectionable materials are as terrible as scary ghosts, and that the harm of exposure to such materials will last for a lifetime. The list of the winners is set out in Annex.
Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, the Acting Deputy Director of Film, Newspaper and Article Administration, Mr Chris Fung, said that while the fascinating cyber world could help young people obtain useful information and make friends, there was a myriad of objectionable materials featuring violence, sex, obscenity and indecency. Particularly, he pointed out that as young people have got into the habit of using emerging platforms such as video streaming platforms, video sharing platforms, and social media in recent years, chances are that they may have access to obscene and indecent materials through these platforms and be influenced by the distorted values. Sharing of such materials online may also be in breach of the COIAO.
Mr Fung stressed that OFNAA has been adopting a multi-pronged approach, including co-operation with the relevant sectors, to keep young people away from the harmful effects of online obscene and indecent materials, while helping them to develop a positive attitude towards the use of the Internet. OFNAA has earlier issued letters to the online media sharing platforms concerned and members of the Hong Kong Internet Service Providers Association, advising them to take more proactive measures to prevent young users from accessing obscene and indecent materials, such as by strengthening the screening and removal of objectionable materials on the platforms, establishing community standards to minimise dissemination of objectionable materials, and providing protection measures for young users.
Furthermore, OFNAA will continue to organise a series of publicity and public education programmes to promote the message of staying away from obscene and objectionable materials on the Internet. A wide range of activities targeting schools, parents, students and the public will be held, including talks on the COIAO and healthy Internet use, online seminars and parents workshops, the "Healthy Information Student Ambassadors Scheme", roving drama for schools, "Heathy Mobile App Sticker Design Competition", slogan and colouring competition, "Healthy Student Video Contest" and "Healthy Chinese Public Speaking Competition".
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