As the key financial hub connecting mainland China with the global market, Hong Kong enjoys a vibrant social media scene with offerings from both sides. The city is highly digitally connected with about nine-in-ten of its residents, or 6.5 million unique users, spending almost two hours each day on social platforms. Social media has become the second
after television. However, there is an increasing concern about the state’s proposed stricter social media regulations, especially among the younger generations, and many are not quite prepared for the possible change.
Switching is the norm
From international big names like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, to Chinese top players like WeChat, TikTok’s sister Douyin, and Twitter-like Weibo, Hong Kong internet users have
abundant choices to socialize and entertain online. The usage was often not limited to just one or two platforms but spread across multiple options. On a monthly basis, Hong Kong users were, on average
active on 6.42 social media sites. Over 40 percent of Hong Kong respondents indicated entertainment and connecting with friends and family as
the main reasons to use social media.Facebook’s fall and the rise of others
When it comes to the social media landscape, Facebook still has the largest market share but
its dominance has declined over the past few years. YouTube and Instagram have become the new favorites with the former having the
highest ad reach and the latter being the priority among younger users. Many Gen Z and millennial users perceived the two as irreplaceable. Threads, Telegram, Xiaohongshu, and TikTok, often appear in
the most downloaded social apps chart, are other rising forces in Hong Kong’s digital realm. While TikTok's short video sensation was able to extend its viewership into the city,
Telegram continued to thrive due to its anonymous character amid the city's anti-government protests in 2019. Without a limitation on follower numbers, Telegram Channels offer a new possibility for brands to spread content and attract new audiences effectively. On the other hand, Chinese alternatives are still not ubiquitous. However, there has been an upward trend in the usage of Weibo for news and Xaiohongshu for product research.
The uncertain state
Zooming out to the media space in Hong Kong, once touted as a free and liberal haven has been witnessing challenges relative to
press freedom. Beijing’s sweeping national security law in 2020 to withhold assent has set off seismic waves, causing the closure of multiple pro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong. Besides, the city’s proposed privacy law amendments would likely force tech giants Facebook, Google, and X (Twitter) to exit the market if the changes were imposed. Concern about the social media future was evident. A 2022 consumer survey discovered that over half of Gen Z and millennials were uncertain about what they would do if services of the international social platforms would be restricted. A third of the respondents intended to use VPN, yet many of them were not ready for such a change.
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