News
The Big Read: In the war against fake news, public needs to get in the trenches
SINGAPORE — It was over dinner on an evening in December 2016 when a sales manager at a printing company decided that he must make a stand…
Scholars: The public should be made aware of the motivations behind the online fake information (Summarised Translation)
The parliamentary Select Committee to study the problem of deliberate online falsehoods and to recommend how Singapore should respond has invited local scholars to submit proposals. Some of the invited scholars disclosed that they will share their views on the media literacy of the general public, the motives of fake news creators, and the social costs of deceptive information.
Media Coverage on Women in Technology and Design Conference
This conference focuses on a key issue: how do we attract, support, and retain women in the technology and design sectors so as to ensure greater diversity in these critical realms? Extensive research has been undertaken on issues confronting women in the STEM disciplines to understand how their career advancement may be compromised by various factors at the structural, institutional, and individual levels. The conference features notable academics and industry professionals who will share their rich insights.
The conference discussion will be organised around four themes:
- Attracting women to join the technology and design sectors
- Supporting girls and women in school as they prepare for careers in technology and design
- Retaining women in these industries through concrete policy and workplace interventions that can mitigate attrition
- Thriving! When women are well supported at every stage of their technology and design trajectory, their chances of having successful and rewarding careers is boosted, and these industries will also benefit from their continued participation.
The conference will be more than a forum for the exchange of ideas. It can also play a critical role in signalling the importance of the issue, as well as providing a mentoring opportunity for the women who participate. In view of SUTD’s strong and consistent efforts to recruit female students, the university has been able to maintain a healthy gender distribution that makes ours an inclusive and diverse technology and design-centric university. To set the agenda on this critical issue, our conference involving academics, industry professionals, and students, and focuses on how we can enhance gender diversity and support women’s advancement in the technology and design sectors. We will also be launching the Women in Technology Special Interest Group of the Singapore Computer Society at our conference.
Visit conference page here
50 “influencers” promote Singapore’s Budget; Young netizens feel “insulted” (summarised translation)
Lianhe Zaobao, 21 Jan 2018, 50 “Influencers” Promote Singapore’s Budget; Young Netizens Feel “Insulted” (summarised translation)
In an effort to reach out to younger Singaporeans, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has paid for over 50 social media “influencers” to post on Instagram to promote the Budget process. However, this move has triggered controversy among internet users, who questioned and ridiculed the action.
In a report that appeared the day before yesterday, AFP News said that Singapore had sparked mockery with Instagram ‘influencers’ for budget. Regarding this, Prof Lim Sun Sun, Head of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Singapore University of Technology and Design said in an interview that internet users’ criticism may stem from the fact that these influencers “lack real understanding of the budget details”, and some even misspelt the name of the Ministry of Finance, giving the impression of being unprofessional.
“For these influencers who rarely comment on current affairs, they may be unable to convey the gravity of the Budget process. I do not think that our young people are apathetic towards politics; therefore they may feel insulted when the Budget is conveyed to them in such a superficial manner.”
CNA Singapore Tonight and Channel 8 News Tonight
Interview on introducing Select Committee to tackle online falsehoods featuring Professor Lim Sun Sun
CNA: https://video.toggle.sg/en/tv-show/news/jan-2018-cna-singapore-tonight/fri-5-jan-2018/559520
Channel 8: https://video.toggle.sg/en/tv-show/news/jan-2018-ch-8-news-tonight/fri-5-jan-2018/559517
History Beneath Our Feet – Imagining the Japanese Occupation in the Classroom
Early 1942 was a historically confounding time for Singapore. The Imperial Japanese Army had rapaciously made their way down Malaya, crossing the Johor Causeway within weeks.
Multi-prong approach needed to combat misinformation, say experts and MPs
SINGAPORE — Experts and Members of Parliament (MPs) on Friday (Jan 5) lauded the Government’s proposal to convene a Select Committee to study the spread of deliberate online falsehoods, with at least one suggesting the move could pave the way for dedicated legislation to deal with the scourge.
Why Ethical Guard Rails Are Vital In A World Run On Big Data
As the public hearings for the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods draw to a close, the realm of views that have been considered has stretched far and wide.
Dr Samson Lim publishes book on Thai history focusing on development of modern policing
HASS Assistant Professor of History Dr Samson Lim has published a new book, Siam’s New Detectives (University of Hawaii Press, 2016). The book was launched at the National Library on 21 April 2017 where Dr Lim presented his key findings.
