New scheme launched to prevent copyright infringements
Updated at 6.45pm: Hong Kong?s customs authorities on Wednesday launched a scheme to invite young internet users to help catch people sharing copyrighted material online.
More than 1,600 members of 11 youth uniformed organisations have joined the scheme aimed at combating copyright infringement on the internet, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong said.
He was speaking at the launching ceremony of the ?Youth Ambassador? Scheme and ?I Pledge? Campaign organised by the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Intellectual Property Department.
Mr Lee said rapid developments with the internet posed great challenges to law enforcement agencies.
?Given the infinity of cyberspace, it is quite impossible for the law-enforcing officers to station themselves at every corner,? he said.
The security secretary said young people could be a large monitoring force to back up the law-enforcement agencies.
He said they could help create a piracy-free environment and protect the local creative industries.
?It is gratifying to see that the pillars of tomorrow?s Hong Kong are playing a positive role not only for today?s society, but also for their own future by undertaking to protect intellectual property rights,? he said.
Some music record and film companies in Hong Kong have complained of losing millions of dollars each year due to illegal internet downloads.
Earlier this year, some music record companies applied in court to seek compensation from alleged file sharers.
