Recent cases of online vitriol uttered by people against foreigners living in Singapore and members from minority races have engendered much discussion pertaining to their causes and effects. Unlike hate speech, corrosive speech may not be expressed with the intention of inflicting harm or promoting hate, and assumes myriad forms. However, it has the potential to create misunderstandings, exacerbate existing tensions among different communities, and erode social relations in a heterogeneous community such as Singapore’s.
IPS is working on a paper which examines the nature of corrosive speech present in public discourse. Drawing on interviews with members from the online community and community leaders, we present a broad-based approach that works in tandem with existing policies, targeted at various segments in the society.
The objective of this seminar is to solicit feedback for the findings and recommendations before releasing the paper for public dissemination. It will be attended by practitioners from alternative and mainstream media, civil society leaders, academics and government officials.
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