Hong Kong: When Hong Kong made a Covid check-in app mandatory at restaurants, friends Birdy and Bu — wary of government tracking — decided to avoid eateries entirely and go for picnics instead. The idea caught fire: their private social media picnic group has swelled from 50 in December to more than 6,000 members, as many looks to avoid sharing data in a city where distrust of the Beijing-backed authorities runs deep. Instead of scanning QR codes at restaurants with the government’s “Leave Home Safe” app, they simply order takeaway and find spots to eat with friends.