IAM conducts cleaning campaign to remove ‘hashtags’ from public furniture

The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) recently conducted on-site inspections and cleaning campaigns to remove and restore public furniture that had been targeted with “hashtag” stickers by alleged social media influencers.

Responding to the Times’ inquiry, the IAM said that the bureau has not received any complaints.

“However, IAM has sent staff to conduct an on-site inspection and remove the stickers as a follow-up,” the bureau said in a written response.

Although no one has yet been held responsible for the placement of stickers in various public spaces around Macau, including benches, walls, lampposts, and handrails, the IAM reminded the public that “Anyone affixing advertisements, stickers, etc. in public places without permission or authorization will be in violation of the relevant regulations in the ‘General Regulations Governing Public Places’ and the ‘List of Infringements,’ and will be liable to a fine of MOP600.”

The bureau also noted that it will continue to strengthen street inspections and handle any offences found in accordance with the law.

According to several citizens, social media influencers in Macau recently started a new “trend.” The trend involves placing stickers with “hashtags” in locations frequently used for photos by influencers from the mainland, and it is reported on the Chinese social networking and e-commerce platform RedNote.

As witnesses who spoke with the Times described, these alleged influencers bring the stickers while traveling to Macau and place them on street benches, walls, and other public spaces. They then use them to take photos and upload them to the popular social media platform to “mark down the location” or create a “check-in point.”

Local citizens claim that the practice damages public furniture and walls, creates glue residue, and peels paint from public spaces when removal is attempted.

In at least one case presented by the Times to the IAM, bureau staff had to scrape off the stickers and then repaint the street bench.