February 7, 2017

Do social networking websites facilitate delinquent behaviour amongst Singaporean youths?

Thanks to the internet, we have formed global communities from the comfort of our homes and offices. However, there are several risks associated with these online social communities that are not so apparent, but necessary to know of in a country like Singapore where almost everyone has access to this medium.

On the second Tuesday of February, better known as Safer Internet Day, we are often warned against online bullying, sexual harassment, phishing, and scamming. A/P Sun Sun Lim and her co-researchers from the Department of Communications and New Media found that many youths face less obvious risks from using social networking websites such as Facebook. They interviewed 36 Singaporean male juvenile delinquents and found that platforms such as Facebook were influential in their decision to join gangs and commit small crimes. The data was collected from young, mostly secondary school boys. Some were in counselling because they were considered at risk of delinquency, others were already in rehabilitation, and some were receiving post-rehabilitation counselling to be reintegrated back into society. Facebook, due to its public and accessible nature, can draw young people into delinquent behaviour. Despite rehabilitation, the accessibility of Facebook makes it challenging for ex-delinquents to let go of their past.
Ultimately, young children are the ones being most affected by this. Educators, therefore, must teach them of the risks of social networking. Internet safety is not just about avoiding anonymous harassers, it is also about knowing how to use ‘safer’ platforms like Facebook wisely.

Learn more about the study here.