The city’s primary suicide surveillance centre has expanded its suicide reporting recommendations to cover social media in a push to minimise harm and encourage responsible information dissemination, particularly among young people.

On World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday, the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention released the 2026 edition of its suicide reporting recommendations, which was expanded to cover social media users and platform operators.

Hong Kong recorded an estimated 976 suicides in 2025, a rate of 13 deaths per 100,000 residents.

While overall rates have declined since the 2003 peak, youth suicide remains at a high level, with suicide the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29 globally.

The recommendations follow a study in collaboration with the Hong Kong Press Council that reviewed 1,200 online suicide-related news reports published between December 2023 and November 2025.

Researchers found persistent gaps in traditional coverage, including missing warning signs, excessive location details, insufficient prevention resources, and explicit descriptions of methods.

The study also found that while social media does not appear to influence suicide rates in the general population, it has a significant effect on young people.

With adolescents and young adults increasingly relying on social platforms for news, the updated recommendations call on journalists to report on suicide cases only when there is clear public interest in doing so.

The study also recommended including crisis hotlines and support resources in the body of the story while avoiding speculation on any possible causes.

They also urged newsrooms to withhold from talking about specific methods and locations, avoid publishing suicide notes, and using neutral, non-stigmatising language.

“I think we have to be aware that every single one of us are information disseminators, so there is a public duty that we should do our best for the public,” said Melissa Pang, chairman of the Press Council.

“When we realise social media is doing a report on suicide incidents, we have to ensure we do not just keep reposting that. We have to be aware of the consequences.”

Organisers said the goal is to promote “responsible information dissemination” across society, stressing that safe communication now depends not only on professional newsrooms, but also on platforms and individual users.




Edited by Tony Sabine