By CS Tan
As I read about the use of the DRUMS (Distortions, Rumours, Untruths, Misinformation and Smears) acronym as a message to guard against online malice, my reaction, like many others, can be summarized by one term. #facepalm.
Sadly, the Government is showing that they are paying attention to the wrong portion of online chatter when they launch this anti-DRUMS message.
Like any massive communication network, there are the insightful comments which many netizens are championing, and there are the irresponsible, mischievous troll-for-fun childish commenters hiding behind the veil of anonymity.
Instead of outright ignoring the trolls, they spend unnecessary time to address the things which anyone should know better to just walk past them.
The Government should really be paying more attention at citizens/netizens contribution with their well meaning, well intended opinion pieces, and acknowledge the acts of active citizenry, where in today’s world, with Singapore’s high connectivity, cyberspace is an indisputable part of the society as a whole. In fact, the terms citizens and netizens shouldn’t even be distinguished at all.
Time to stay up to the times.
