As you stroll through downtown Hong Kong, it’s becoming increasingly common to see the glint of surveillance cameras watching over the city’s bustling streets. This site is about to become even more prevalent as the Hong Kong Police Force embarks on an ambitious plan to install thousands of new surveillance cameras to enhance their monitoring capabilities.

Despite Hong Kong being one of the world’s safest cities, authorities justify the increased surveillance as a necessary tool for fighting crime. They have also hinted at introducing powerful facial recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to these cameras shortly.

However, critics and experts are raising concerns, arguing that these new measures are pushing Hong Kong closer to the pervasive surveillance in mainland China. There, surveillance systems are used for law enforcement and political control, particularly in regions like Xinjiang.

Escalating Surveillance Plans

The Hong Kong Police Force has already set a goal to install 2,000 new surveillance cameras this year, with potentially more to follow in the coming years. Security chief Chris Tang has even suggested the future use of AI to help track down suspects.

While Hong Kong police have stated that they are studying how other countries, including Western democracies, use surveillance technologies, many remain wary. Facial recognition technology has been trialled in countries like the United Kingdom and Singapore, but these experiments have raised important questions about privacy and the need for robust regulation. Critics argue that the lack of specific details from Hong Kong authorities on how this technology will be implemented—such as whether it will be used for live tracking or limited to reviewing footage—only fuels concern.

A City with a History of Political Dissent

What distinguishes Hong Kong from other jurisdictions, say experts, is its political climate. Following the 2019 anti-government protests, the city has experienced a crackdown on dissent through the imposition of national security laws. Activists, journalists, and political opponents have been jailed, civil society groups targeted, and the freedom of speech curtailed.

For many, these developments signal Hong Kong’s increasing integration into China’s authoritarian system, where surveillance has become a tool for monitoring and controlling the population. During the 2019 protests, demonstrators often wore masks and dismantled surveillance equipment, fearing they would be identified and punished.

Samantha Hoffman, a fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, noted that while facial recognition technology is being tested in countries like the U.S. and the U.K., the context in Hong Kong is different due to its political environment and how technology can be used to maintain power.

Surveillance and Public Anxiety

Hong Kong currently has more than 54,500 government-operated CCTV cameras, roughly seven per 1,000 people, placing it on par with New York City. Yet, this is a far cry from mainland Chinese cities, where the average is about 440 cameras per 1,000 people.

Concerns about mainland-style surveillance were a key part of the 2019 protests when demonstrators destroyed or disabled smart lamp posts they believed could be used for monitoring. Although Hong Kong authorities maintained that these posts were only meant to collect data on traffic and pollution, the fear that surveillance would be extended into everyday life remained.

Across the border in China, facial recognition technology is a standard part of life. From phone registration to subway travel, real-time facial recognition systems track individuals’ movements. This surveillance has been used repressively in Xinjiang to monitor the Muslim-majority Uyghur population and track down protesters during the 2022 anti-Covid lockdown demonstrations.

As Hoffman explains, in mainland China, the technology is used not just to monitor but to track individuals deemed “troublesome,” creating a pervasive and oppressive surveillance state. She believes that, over time, Hong Kong’s surveillance infrastructure could come to resemble that of mainland China.

Fighting Crime or Controlling the Population?

Hong Kong police insist that the cameras are necessary for crime prevention. A pilot program earlier this year involving 15 cameras has already helped solve six crimes, according to police chief Tang. The force has pledged to comply with existing privacy laws and will delete footage after 31 days. However, critics argue that Hong Kong’s existing laws, which contain broad exemptions for police activities, may not be sufficient to prevent misuse.

Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, warns that these new measures could be used for political repression under the city’s national security law. Without assurances that the technology will not be misused, he suggests that Hong Kong’s law enforcement practices may increasingly resemble those of the mainland.

The Need for Regulation and Transparency

Experts like Normann Witzleb, an associate professor specializing in data protection and privacy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, stress that it’s still too early to say how the cameras and technology will be used in Hong Kong. However, he underscores the need for authorities to address unanswered questions regarding the scope of surveillance, such as whether facial recognition will be used in real-time or only for retrospective analysis.

Additionally, questions remain about who would authorize the use of facial recognition, and under what circumstances. Will it be used to catch criminals, or could it also be used to track down missing people? And will the police use only their image databases, or will they access public or privately held images as well?

Witzleb emphasizes that while the technology can have benefits, it must be carefully designed with safeguards to prevent infringement on personal rights.

The Psychological Impact of Surveillance

Beyond the technical details of how surveillance will be implemented, the mere presence of these cameras and the possibility of AI-powered tracking may cause many Hong Kongers to feel less free. Hoffman notes that constant surveillance can change behaviour, creating a sense of coercion even when the technology isn’t fully utilized.

“When you feel like you’re being monitored, that affects your behaviour and your feelings of freedom as well,” Hoffman says. “There’s an element of state coercion that doesn’t necessarily depend on the effectiveness of the technology itself.”

As Hong Kong’s surveillance network grows, the city faces a critical crossroads: will these measures enhance public safety, or push Hong Kong closer to the authoritarian control seen on the mainland? Only time will tell.