AI and Civic Trust in Hong KongCEFR B1
27 Apr 2026
Adapted from Nishant Shah, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Markus Winkler, Unsplash
Global Voices’ Spotlight series highlights how AI affects civic life. I teach and live on a public university campus in Hong Kong where each year students and the city receive many scam warnings. After one employee was tricked by a deepfake video call and transferred millions, officials warned that society is not fully prepared for AI-driven deception.
Young people are often the target, but the problem goes beyond fake news. The wider issue is trust: can people trust digital information and their own judgement when AI shapes everyday interactions? Generative AI makes plausible content cheap and widespread, producing cognitive fatigue and a sense of surrender.
Hong Kong now deploys tools such as scameter+ and other verification systems; financial authorities say AI must be used to fight AI. AI also appears in enquiry systems, translation tools, payment gateways and city management workflows. The Digital Narratives Studio practices relational infrastructuring—small, informal gatherings where people name encounters, compare experiences, share interpretations and test judgement together to make AI accountable.
Difficult words
- deepfake — a realistic fake audio or video
- deception — an act that makes someone believe false information
- generative — able to produce new content automatically
- verification — the process of checking if something is true
- judgement — the ability to make sensible decisions
- cognitive fatigue — mental tiredness from thinking too much
- relational infrastructuring — building shared systems through small group meetings
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How much do you trust digital information when AI can create realistic content? Explain why.
- Do small, informal meetings where people share experiences help improve judgement about online information? Why or why not?
- What tools or actions should a university use to protect students from scams and deepfakes?
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