Hong Kong needs new blood in public policy research

Since the handover of sovereignty 18 years ago, major social movements in Hong Kong have inspired young people to form groups. But the focus of these youth organisations appears to have changed over the years.

After the July 1 march in 2003, numerous youth associations sprouted up that focused on policy research and encompassing multiple political beliefs. These include the Roundtable group and the 30SGroup, which are still active today.

By contrast, the youth organisations formed in recent years, whether pro-Beijing or pro-democracy, have all been built on a specific political stance. These groups have tended to be a response to a particular issue, such as constitutional reform, rather than about policies in general.

The change reflects a loss of interest in policy research among young people. Yet, it has never been more needed. Sociologist Lau Siu-kai, the former head of the government's Central Policy Unit, believed that, increasingly, government decisions would come to rely on public policy studies.

Why, then, are young people not taking policy research seriously? There are two main reasons.

First, as social media becomes more popular, more people have got used to compressed information and quick judgment. In-depth discussion is discouraged. In the past, young writers were proud to be writing for newspapers. Today, they regard the number of "likes" and "shares" on their online posts as a measure of success. The key to a good article is no longer how solid its argument is, but whether it can go viral.

Serious policy discussions during public hearings at the Legislative Council are rarely reported by the media, which tend to focus on wild accusations and radical behaviour. There's little chance a genuine policy debate will go viral.