Don't shame online, right the wrong instead

A man is fast asleep in a reserved seat on a crowded train.

Next to him, a pregnant commuter has one hand on her baby bump, and another holding the metal rail tightly. Would you try to right the situation by waking the man, or resort to taking a photo to shame him online?

That is the question posed by the Singapore Kindness Movement in their latest campaign to highlight the issue of public shaming.

The ubiquity of smartphones with cutting-edge cameras has resulted in a barrage of negative posts of antisocial behaviour.

These days, woe betide any man or woman who dares to cut a queue, belch in public, shout too loudly, drive badly or be overly passionate with their partner in public.

The posters put out by the non-profit organisation have struck a chord with many.

Facebook user Lin Tianyun, for instance, shared it because she disliked the act of shaming healthy-looking passengers occupying priority seats.

"I think it is a passive and cowardly action that serves no purpose," she said. "Asking for a seat is a better action."

Her post attracted about 7,000 likes, comments and shares.

"The guy could be unwell," said one user. "Nobody is able to tell if the pregnant lady deserves the seat more than him."

Another said: "Being trigger-happy with the camera is just as bad as not giving up a seat to those in need."

Public shaming was brought into sharp focus last week when the wedding photos of a couple went viral for their "poor quality".

The album, put up by education executive Jaclyn Ying, was shared more than 20,000 times.

Although Ms Ying did not name the photographer, many netizens were doing their best to ferret out his identity.

Eventually, the photographer responded with a public apology on Facebook, a move which won him a small number of fans.

The bridal studio which employed him was also identified later.

Ms Ying and her husband have been criticised for the way they handled the situation.

And despite the couple's well-meaning intentions, the events would likely have a negative impact on the studio and the photographer.

Perhaps things might have turned out very differently if everyone, including those heaping criticisms and gleefully arguing with others online, were just a little kinder.

darylc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 17, 2016.
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