Letters | Hong Kong protesters’ concerns about smart lamp posts should be addressed by IT sector lawmaker

Smart city development is global trend. Why can’t Hong Kong address worries over the lamp posts being used for government surveillance, the way other cities have, rather than tear them down?

Reading Time:2 minutes

One of the damaged smart lamp posts on Sheung Yuet Road in Kowloon Bay after an extradition bill protest on August 24. Concerns were raised over whether the cameras on the lamp posts installed for functions such as monitoring real-time traffic were surveillance tools for the government. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 6:40am, 1 Sep 2019Updated: 6:40am, 1 Sep 2019

I am most concerned about the damage done to smart lamp posts on August 24. The fact that this has subsequently led to the withdrawal of the supplier, Ticktack Technology, from the project for fear of the personal safety of employees and their family members is even more worrying.

I understand that many countries and cities in the world have actively engaged in smart city development. Surely Hong Kong would want to join the ranks of places like London, San Francisco, Seoul, Oslo, Barcelona and Singapore in becoming a smart city. These places must have tackled the concerns of their citizens regarding privacy and government surveillance.

The destruction of our smart lamp posts was based on the suspicion that they could be used as a surveillance tool for the government. May I request a comment from Charles Mok, who represents the information technology functional constituency in the Legislative Council, on this matter? Could Mr Mok clarify whether there is any basis to this suspicion and, if there is, whether the concern was raised in Legco when the proposal for smart city development, of which smart lamp posts are an integral part, was discussed at the panel on information technology and broadcasting of Legco? If the concern was raised, could Mr Mok share how it was addressed?

This would hopefully prevent further damage to the smart lamp posts at a cost to the general public in Hong Kong. The way the lamp posts were destroyed is not the way to address concerns about them.

Around the world, technology transfer for the well-being of mankind is being advocated. Universities and enterprises are encouraged to develop new technology and work closely with all stakeholders, including governments, to advance this objective. If a company or an individual who engages in technology development runs the risk of threats to their personal safety and destruction of their invention, how can development of technology be encouraged?