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Preventing cybercrime
Law Hoi-ching, Po Leung Kuk Ho Yuk Ching (1984) College
I am writing to express my concerns about cybercrime, especially the misuse of personal information and hacking.
The frequency of these problems has increased over the past seven months, with more cases being reported daily.
Thieves can steal personal information to create fake accounts or even steal money from a person’s bank account. They might even hack into a person’s social media account and pretend to be them to ask others for money.
We must raise awareness about the problems of misusing personal information and hacking.
People should not give out their personal information to those they don’t know or have only recently met. They should also set their social media accounts to private for added security.
To prevent hacking, they should create stronger passwords for their bank accounts and social media accounts, making it more difficult for thieves to access them.
I encourage you to consider these problems so that people are more informed about how to protect their personal information and can keep it more secure. It’s important to protect the public from these crimes.
Dealing with ‘forever chemicals’
Ophelia Kao, King Ling College
I would like to express my concerns about PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”.
PFAS, found in everyday items from waterproof clothing to food packaging, pose a significant threat to our health and the environment.
Their strong carbon-fluorine bonds allow them to persist for an incredibly long time, and they’ve been linked to serious health problems like certain cancers and reproductive issues.
Dealing with PFAS waste is a major challenge. Options such as long-term storage, incineration and landfilling all have drawbacks, including high costs and potential toxic emissions.
Concerns about PFAS contamination are emerging worldwide. In Europe, for instance, the EU has already set legal limits for PFAS in drinking water, and member states are set to enforce them next year.
Governments, industries and research institutions worldwide should collaborate in this fight. Governments should provide more incentives and pass regulations to encourage industries to adopt new technologies. Meanwhile, industries need to take responsibility for their PFAS usage and invest in proper waste management.
Looking to the sky
Daniel Fung Sik-yin, Yan Chai Hospital Lan Chi Pat Memorial Secondary School
From the moment I first stepped onto an aircraft, I was truly impressed. How can a giant machine weighing more than 500 tonnes fly? That’s the beauty of mechanics, science and mathematics.
Being a pilot sounds incredibly cool. You get to travel the world and gain a unique perspective that few others experience. Looking out of the cockpit at 40,000 feet, realising the vastness of the world and flying over millions of people daily would be exhilarating.
I still remember the time the captain invited me into the cockpit during a flight. The view amazed me, and in that moment, I decided to become a pilot.
Some may think being a pilot is effortless, but it is actually
quite complex. To become a pilot, you must study various aviation theories, including aerodynamics, meteorology and navigation.
These subjects may seem daunting, but I find them incredibly interesting. Aerodynamics, in particular, is crucial as it explains how aeroplanes fly.
I know I must work hard and be resilient to achieve my dream, and I’m committed to keeping my focus until I find my seat and tighten my seat belt in the cockpit.
Regulations for Roblox
Ethan Chan, King Ling College
There has been increasing concern about whether Roblox is suitable for children. Evidence shows they can easily encounter inappropriate content. Some adults engage in unsupervised interactions with children, exposing them to information they shouldn’t learn at a young age.
YouTuber Schlep, a prominent Roblox content creator, was banned for unsafe role-play conversations and sharing personal information. He claimed he was banned for highlighting the platform’s dangers. Another notable incident involved a 13-year-old in the US state of Iowa who was lured from her home by a 37-year-old she met on Roblox.
With weak age verification, adults messaging children and disturbing games available, many are calling for stricter regulations.
Roblox has become a global platform for children. If it cannot protect its young users from these threats, it should reconsider its operations. Many parents are understandably concerned about their children’s online safety, and this issue is gaining more attention.
Improving age verification measures should not be difficult for Roblox, and there is no reason for them to delay. It is perplexing that they have not taken action after such significant concerns have been raised.
