Dedicated Coconuts HK followers, listen up! Apparently, people who frequently comment online or who get their news over the internet are more likely to support Occupy Central.
The survey, commissioned by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) and conducted over October and November by HKU, interviewed 1,012 Cantonese-speaking Hongkongers over the age of 18.
They found that over half of the respondents read the news online, and of them, the vast majority were between the ages of 18 and 29.
The data also shows that 18.9 percent of the frequent online commenters are anti-Occupy, and nearly 75 percent support the movement. We’re assuming none of the respondents were paid trolls.
However, 48 percent of the total respondents disagree with Occupy Central, as opposed to 36 percent who support it.
Speaking to the SCMP, Isabelle Ng, a member of HKIEd, said there is a direct link between online activities and political activism. She cites the example of the HK Golden Forum, which some Occupy protesters have used to organise themselves.
Rather sadly, the survey found that over half of all respondents had no faith in the government, regardless of their preferred news source. But we can find solace in the fact that 65 percent said they would not let politics and differing opinions get in the way of their friendships and relationships.
Dr Alex Chan, the man who led the survey, insists that this is because “Hong Kong people are still rational and tolerant of different opinions.”
Since, obviously, our readers are English-speakers who may have been left out of the Cantonese-only survey, you may have different perspective.
Photo: Laurel Chor/Coconuts Media
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