HKU raises alarm over suicide rate among under-15s, warns of social media impact

The suicide rate among under-15s in Hong Kong rose to a decade-high in 2025, going against a downward trend overall, with social media activity strongly predictive of cases among young people, according to research from a local university.The Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong also used World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday to call for schools to ramp up support for students in light of a spate of suicide attempts around the start of the academic year.“As we pursue academic excellence, we should also look after the mental health of young people,” said Paul Yip Siu-fai, the centre’s founding director.