Mind what you post on social media

Last Sunday's article ("Indranee stands up for man mocked over hole in T-shirt") described how a Miss Singapore Universe 2013 finalist mocked a train commuter for wearing a T-shirt with a hole in it.

There is no reason for such boorish behaviour. She should have exercised restraint instead of making someone feel embarrassed enough to consider quitting his job.

Negative and abusive posts may have long-lasting effects that hurt the victim's dignity and pride. In other countries, cyber-bullying has led to suicide.

As a mature society, we must show empathy to those who may not be as fortunate as we are. What may appear to us as innocuous comments may be deemed offensive by others.

Before you realise it, your post may have been disseminated across cyberspace, attracting comments from others who may not know the full picture. So your choice of words matters.

Francis Cheng

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