Social media’s wide reach and influence accentuate the negative effects of inaccurate sentiments circulated online. Building resilience is essential in maintaining Singapore’s social cohesion.

The controversy following the uploading of a video clip depicting an imam’s religious supplication about other faiths has underscored the importance of preserving religious harmony in Singapore. Ministers and religious leaders have since re-emphasised the central need for all, including netizens, to be mindful of maintaining social cohesion in Singapore as a plural society.

The misrepresentation or misinterpretation of information, deliberate or unintended, can be amplified on social media, resulting in social divisiveness. The risk of netizens obtaining only superficial understandings of issues, the possibility of echo chambers occurring, and the threat posed by fake news underscores significant challenges for Singapore.

… Stephanie Neubronner is an Associate Research Fellow with the National Security Studies Programme in the Office of the Executive Deputy Chairman, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.