Society
AI Photography blurs the Boundaries of Creativity
- 2024-02-17
- Society
- By: KONG Tsz YuenEdited by: charlottelam
- 2024-02-17
The Sony World Photography Awards made waves in March when they unveiled "Pseudomnesia: The Electrician," the winner of the creative open category. However, German artist Boris Eldagsen, who created this thought-provoking piece, gained notoriety for not accepting the prize because his work was created by artificial intelligence. Eldgsen explained on his website that he wanted award organizers to be more aware of the difference between AI-generated images and photography and asked them to create separate competitions for AI-generated work. The Oxford English Dictionary defines photography as the process, practice, or art of taking photographs, the business of producing and printing photographs. As AI algorithms become increasingly adept at generating realistic and high-quality images, they challenge the traditional notion of photography as a human-driven process. Never Chan, 23, a wedding photographer, said the fairness of photography competitions depends on the rules. For example, the rules may indicate that only color correction is permitted, while post-processing is off-limits. She enhances her photographs, for example, by removing unwanted objects from the background. However, she draws a clear line between AI's role in post-processing and its involvement in the actual act of photography. "I'll ask where my clients met and assist them in taking photos there. But if AI can alter the background of a client's photos, they would lose the realism of the shot and the memorable moment of capturing it,” said Chan. In a statement provided to The Young Reporter, Ivan Tsoi, the spokesperson of the Hong Kong Photo Contest, said the contest commits to the principles of Documentary Photography. That is seeing the world as perceived through the photographer's lens rather than through post-production images produced by AI. Tsoi said they go through a rigorous evaluation process for the shortlisted works. To ensure compliance with the competition's rules, each photograph is …
Annual Lunar New Year Fireworks lights up Victoria Harbour again
- 2024-02-13
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG Haicen、ZHAO RuntongEdited by: Jemima Badajos
- 2024-02-13
Festive fireworks display returned to Victoria Harbour last night for the first time in five years following cancellations because of social unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 338,000 spectators, including tourists from mainland China and overseas lined both sides of the harbor to enjoy the festivity. The display was divided into eight scenes on the theme of "Prosperity in the Year of the Dragon".
Sales at Lunar New Year Fairs fail to match pre-pandemic level
- 2024-02-06
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: BO Chuxuan、LAI Uen LingEdited by: Yuqi CHU
- 2024-02-06
Hong Kong’s biggest Lunar New Year's Fair at Victoria Park is selling hot food and dry goods again after four years of restrictions, but some vendors said sales are not as good as they were before the pandemic. The fairs launched on Sunday at 15 locations across the city, such as Kwai Chung and Kwun Tong, are surrounded by crowds. Candice Li Man-shuen, a vendor selling dog accessories who joined the fair several years before the pandemic, said the atmosphere was less lively than she had expected. “People are here today mainly because it is Sunday and there are other nearby events, but they didn’t come here intentionally,” Li added. Wong Kin-fan, a vendor from the mochi stall who has had a stall at the fair for several years, had sold half of her mochi by the afternoon of the first day. That brought her roughly HK$10,000 in sales revenue by the afternoon of the first day. “Sales aren’t what they were before 2020,” Wong said. “However, the rental cost of the stall is correspondingly low. My boss decided to return to this fair again because it is cheaper.” Shirley Lau, 51, a local retailer visiting the fair every year, said there were fewer fast food stalls than before COVID-19. According to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the size of the fast food stalls in 2019 was 56.48 square metres, compared to 40 square metres this year at Victoria Park. Liu Wing-ting, currently working in the hospitality industry, said she felt the variety of goods and food at this fair was less compared to last time when there were fast food stalls. Liu has visited Lunar New Year fairs many times in other districts, but it’s her first time at Victoria Park. She thought people weren’t buying much …
Hong Kong’s first diagonal crossing starts trial run in Sha Tin
- 2024-02-03
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTOEdited by: Kin Hou POON
- 2024-02-03
The city’s first diagonal crossing opened to the public on Wednesday, allowing pedestrians to save time crossing a junction between Sha Kok Street and Yat Tai Street in Sha Tin. The city’s Transport Department said it aims to enhance pedestrian mobility and efficiency with more direct routes, potentially eliminating dangerous detours and reducing accidents. The Transport Department also said a diagonal crossing at Carnarvon Road and Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui is expected to be completed in mid-2024. “It has been the government’s goal in recent years to build Hong Kong into an 'accessible city' to enhance the overall accessibility of Hong Kong, and to create a pedestrian-friendly environment,” wrote Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung in his blog. Stanley Chan, an instructor at the nearby Immaculate Heart of Mary College, said that the crossing could benefit those with limited mobility. “The lines give a sense of direction, and can guide people who cannot walk without assistance, such as the elderly and wheelchair-bound individuals,” said Chan. “In general, it also helps save time for everyone crossing,” he said. Bobby Leung, a photographer, travelled to Sha Tin to take pictures of the crossing on Thursday said that it is reminiscent of Tokyo’s famous Shibuya Crossing, which is considered the world’s busiest crosswalk, with roughly 2,500 individuals crossing each time. “It's like a mini version of it,” he said. “After all, this is just the start. Maybe we will see a much larger one in the future.” The Transport Department said that it will continue monitoring the usage of the two junctions while taking in feedback from pedestrians and motorists to assess the effectiveness of the diagonal crossing.
Graffiti artists risk breaking National Security Law
- 2024-01-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Juncong SHUAI、Yuqi CHUEdited by: Chengqi MO
- 2024-01-30
A graffiti of three figures wearing yellow helmets has been outside Glorious Fast Food restaurant at Sheung Wan since 1998. It’s the work of a visiting French graffiti artist, Catherine Grossrieder. The tiny eatery on Ladder Street belongs to Mrs. Cheng’s family. “She said the outside of our restaurant was too plain, so she wanted to draw something on the sliding door and the wall,” Cheng said. “There happened to be a group of construction workers sitting on the steps and eating, which inspired her,” she explained. But in 2019, the yellow helmet became a symbol of protest. The Home Affairs Department received a bunch of complaints about the artwork. So last month, the Chengs painted over the graffiti. “The office warned us that there was a risk that the images could be perceived as violating the National Security Law,” said Cheng. “But they didn’t specify which articles might be breached.” Graffitis are common on the streets of Hong Kong. But the Summary Offences Ordinance doesn’t allow writing upon, soiling, defacing or marking any building without the owner’s consent. The calligraphy graffiti from the late Tsang Tsou-choi, advertising “the king of plumbers” can still be spotted in many places, ranging from lamposts, utility boxes, pillars, pavements, building walls to occasionally cars. “Graffiti is a good way to express emotions and appeal because it is anonymous,” said Mr Wee, a Hong Kong graffiti artist who has more than 6000 followers on Instagram. “Some graffiti is written with the expectation that it will be scrubbed.” The Central and Western District Office under the Home Affairs Department has removed about 150 graffiti, especially those with explicit political slogans, since the social movement in Hong Kong three years ago. “We can use fewer and fewer words and images, and more and more works are …
Skateboarding rolls to new heights
- 2024-01-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTOEdited by: Tsz Ying CHEUNG
- 2024-01-30
Eric Ng Siu-chung, 27, is a part-time skateboarding instructor. He has seen increasing demand for lessons over the past four years. From being a niche and stereotypically rebellious hobby to a contemporary sport, skateboarding has gained immense popularity in recent years since its introduction to the city in the 1970s. This year, Hong Kong's skateboarding team competed at the Asian Games for the second time since the sport was added to the games in 2018. “Even if my students fail to do a trick, it’s good to see them committing to doing something new,” said Ng. In response to the surge in popularity, the government is opening up new facilities for skateboarding. In the 2023-2024 Budget Speech, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po highlighted the importance of promoting popular urban sports, such as skateboarding, for youth development. The government is considering converting “underutilised floors” at the Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building in Jordan for urban sports. Fung Chuen-chung is a Deputy District Leisure Manager for Yau Tsim Mong District with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). He said they are working in close consultation with the Architectural Services Department and skatepark designers with the target of completing the conversion by 2025. To date, Hong Kong has 13 skateboarding facilities managed by the LCSD. That has come a long way since the sport started in Hong Kong almost four decades ago. Warren Stuart, 54, is dubbed “the godfather” of Hong Kong skateboarding for his experience and contributions to elevating the local skate scene. He is among the top advisors for the sport’s development in the city and is the head coach for the Hong Kong national skateboarding team. He said that one reason why skateboarding has soared to new heights was its inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games. It was shortlisted …
My AI girlfriend
- 2024-01-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Juncong SHUAI、Junzhe JIANGEdited by: Chengqi MO
- 2024-01-30
I did not expect an AI dating application to be downloaded over 100,000 times, nor did I expect how vivid the AI-generated conversations can be. I typed in “AI girlfriend” in the search bar, scrolled down, and “Romantic AI” caught my attention immediately — “This app helps you create the perfect girlfriend with whom you share interests and views. You can talk about everything, get support and feel needed.” When I clicked on the application, warnings popped up to warn that users must be over 18 years old because of the sexually explicit materials the application contains. On the opening page, nearly 30 different types of AI girlfriends, ranging from the Mona Lisa to Ancient Egypt Queen Nefertiti, with three male bots, are the options. You can customise your AI mate by choosing names, personalities, body features, and even sexuality. According to the terms and conditions of the website, the photos in the chatbot belong to real people, which means they are not AI-generated at all. The website page provides a free trial for new users, but you can subscribe to the product for a US$44.9 (about HK$349.96) per year package or US$99.99 (about HK$ 779.35) for being a lifetime user. Once subscribed, the users can access unlimited messaging, NSFW roleplay and sexting. I started to chat with some of them. They would begin the conversation by setting the scene according to their characteristics, which makes the experience more immersive. “You walk into a dark bar, soul music is playing quietly”, the chatbot wrote, then the virtual girl, who is a bartender according to her bio, typed to me: “Welcome to Soulville, honey, the oldest bar in this whole dang area! You seem like you have a story to tell. Happy to be an ear to listen to and a …
Siamese fighting fish competition adds a punch to Hong Kong Pet Show
- 2024-01-27
- Society
- By: YANG Shuyi、NG Natasha Goa ShengEdited by: Yau To LUM
- 2024-01-27
The “Hong Kong Pet Show 2024" returns on Jan. 25 with Hong Kong’s first-ever “IBC International Betta Show 2024” organized by the International Betta Congress, a worldwide union of Betta-lovers and breeders. Over 600 Siamese rumble fish from different countries are displayed at this year’s Hong Kong Pet Show for the global competition. The event is supposed to raise awareness on the conservation of fighting fish, otherwise known as rumble fish or betta. Eddy, one of the staff members in charge of the “IBC International Betta Show 2024”, said that Betta competition in the world has changed. “Nowadays Betta competition is no longer the same as before. We are now focusing more on their appearance,” he said. Before the start of the competition, all fish are separated into different groups based on their fins, breed, and colour. Then, a demerit point system is used to grade their score. It is expected to have 600-700 competitors before the registration deadline. “We hope that through this competition people could be aware of the increase of Betta breeds now and more people will know about them,” he said. Hong Kong Pet Show 2024 is bigger than in previous years, with more than 650 booths and offering all kinds of products, pet food, and pet insurance. But Gary Chiu Wai-lam, the Management Director of one of the exhibitors, Kangaroo Pet Nutrition, thought there were 10 percent fewer visitors to this year’s pet show on day one compared with last year. “Since we are agents for other pet shops, joining the pet show gives us a channel to tell our customers what our products are about and the advantages of different products.” Daisy Pun, the director of 1363 Natural Pet Home, is an exhibitor who hasn’t joined the pet show before. “Big exhibitions can help …
Waste-charging Scheme delayed to August
- 2024-01-24
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: XIA Fan、ZHANG YipingEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、Yuqi CHU
- 2024-01-24
The start date of the new waste-charging scheme based on the pay-as-you-throw principle was pushed back again by four months to Aug 1, announced Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Friday. The scheme was scheduled to start on April 1. The delay is to better explain the details and ease public confusion, Tse said in the press conference. Justina Chan, a street vendor selling socks in her 40s, said the scheme was a disturbance to her normal life. “When the day comes, I have no choice but to obey the rules. Though I would never say I support it from my heart,” said Chan. The scheme, initially proposed over two decades ago, seeks to address public awareness of recycling and reduce waste through a requirement for dumping rubbish with government-approved bags. Marcus Lo, 26, a government employee, said he agrees with measures for environmental protection, but is concerned over resistance. The price of the new government rubbish bags is HK$0.11 per litre. For bulky waste and large furniture, a "fee label" with a standardised price of HK$11 is required to be purchased. According to the Hong Kong Waste Reduction report, the disposal rate of Municipal Solid Waste was 1.51 kg per person per day in 2022. A family using a 10 or 15 litre government bag every day is likely to spend about HK$30 to HK$50 a month on the bags, compared to under $10 at the current price. Lo called for more attention being paid to the vulnerable groups. “If the government could put more effort into helping the low incomers, the enforcement process would be smoother as the new launch will drive up their living cost,” said Lo. The Finance Committee Procedure last December passed a bill giving a monthly subsidy of HK$10 to people receiving …
Marathon organisers urge runners to monitor their conditions following a death
- 2024-01-23
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: ZHAO Runtong、LIU YutongEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、Juncong SHUAI
- 2024-01-23
Organisers of the annual Standard Chartered Marathon have reminded runners to “closely monitor their post-race physical condition and allow themselves recovery after the race.” The warning came after a 30-year-old participant collapsed at Tin Hau MTR station following the race. There were multiple injuries, according to the Hospital Authority. At 4 pm yesterday, a total of 39 runners had been admitted to hospital, with one death pending investigation and one in critical condition due to heart overload. As of Monday, he is still receiving medical treatment in Ruttonjee Hospital. The Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates and Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited stated their deepest condolences to the family of the deceased athlete and offered assistance as necessary. “Overexertion, heat stress, dehydration and cardiovascular issues could all be the cause of death in a marathon," said Dr. Hon Sze-sze, Principal Coordinator of Sports Program at Hong Kong Baptist University, "In order to avoid injuries, we should do foot preparation activities before the race and maintain appropriate fluid intake during the marathon.. If we feel ill, we must stop running to avoid overexertion,” she added. The Standard Chartered Marathon kicked off at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui at 6 am on Sunday. It included a full marathon, a half marathon, and a 10-kilometre challenge. Kenyan runner Seroi Anderson Saitoti, 31, won the men's overall full marathon with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes and 50 seconds. Medina Armino, 26, from Ethiopia won the women’s overall full marathon with a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 47 seconds. Local athlete Yiu Kit-ching, 35, performed very well with a time of 2 hours 41 minutes and 9 seconds. Local runner, Wong Kai-lok, 28, said the route of the Standard Chartered Marathon is mostly mountain roads, which are more …