French families sue TikTok over alleged failure to remove harmful content

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Seven French families have filed a lawsuit against social media giant TikTok, accusing the platform of exposing their adolescent children to harmful content that led to two of them taking their own lives at the age of 15

TikTok’s algorithm exposed the seven teenagers to videos promoting suicide, self-harm and eating disorders

Qn: Consider the view that profitability should be the highest priority of a business. (Cam. 2024)

Will South Korea go back to banning phones in classrooms?

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those who use smartphones for more than four hours a day are more likely to develop mental health problems. Prolonged smartphone use was linked to a range of mental and physical issues, including neuropsychiatric disorders, insomnia, blurred vision and musculoskeletal disorders....were found to have higher levels of stress as well as higher rates of drug use, and were more likely to suffer from suicidal impulses

Qn: Do electronic devices, such as tablets or smart phones, help or hinder students in their studies? (Cam. 'O' lvl 2015)

Why the underconsumption trend won’t have much shelf life in Singapore

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including the plushies in the recent “Labubu” craze made popular by K-pop girl group Blackpink’s Lisa?

contributor to Singapore’s particular consumer mania is the never-ending calendar of sales from major corporations and brands.

Many local businesses offer express delivery, which is typically two to three business days, or better yet, same-day delivery on purchases. With the constant influx of push notifications, it may prompt consumers to shop more often because the gratification received is gone as fast as it has come.

Part of the reason for increased spending is the impact of shifting trends. Youth culture is heavily influenced by rapidly shifting aesthetics driven by social media.

Many such brands heavily rely on influencers – or “key opinion leaders”, as some are termed – to flaunt their products and create an inflated sense of living and status. In a 2023 Rakuten Insight survey on social media influencers, nearly 50 per cent of Singaporean respondents stated that they “purchased an item or product because it had been endorsed by an influencer”.

Qn: ‘Online advertisements use increasingly sophisticated methods to target consumers.’ To what extent does this bring more harm than good? (Cam. 2024)

Are bioplastics really the wonder alternative to petroplastics?

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Qns: 

1. ‘It is unrealistic for countries to completely ban the use of plastics.’ Discuss. (SAJC Prelim 2024)

 2. ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2023)

How Seunghan’s exit from boy band Riize highlights the peril of K-pop’s global appeal

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Many were in disbelief at how Seunghan was publicly bullied out of Riize for doing what many young people do – date, smoke, live a life. 

idols in East Asia, especially the young ones, have historically been marketed as romantic fantasies for fans. Fans in these markets have come to expect their idols to maintain the image of themselves as single and available in exchange for their loyalty and support.

Qn: Nowadays, we care too much about what people think. Discuss. (ASRJC Prelim 2024)

Moving away from fossil fuels will be costly; but that goes for climate inaction too

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Singapore announced during the event that it had given conditional approval for a company here to start importing solar energy from Australia via more than 4,000km of cables, in a mega project expected to cost US$24 billion (S$31.6 billion).

If Singapore is unable to decarbonise its power sector, the country will risk losing companies that are committed to reducing their emissions related to energy use...This means companies that pledged to switch fully to renewable energy under the global RE100 initiative, from Apple to Google, would likely reconsider Singapore as a base of operations

The cost of action may seem uncomfortable in the near term, but the cost of inaction is untenable in the long term.

Qn: ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2023)

China maintains it’s a developing country amid calls to contribute to UN climate fund

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Chinese government officials reiterated at a media briefing on Nov 1 that the world’s biggest emitter of planet-warming carbon dioxide is a developing country, citing that in 2023, 477 million, or one-third of its population of 1.4 billion, were rural.

China is expected to come under fire at the event in Baku, Azerbaijan, for asserting its status as a developing country, which exempts it from contributing to the UN’s pot to help poorer nations curb gas emissions and deal with the worsening extreme weather....

if China could go to the moon, it should be able to pay more for climate action.

In 2009, developed countries agreed that from 2020 to 2025, they would contribute a total of US$100 billion (S$132.5 billion) each year in such funds.

Qn: Consider the view that all countries have an equal responsibility to tackle climate change. (DHS Prelim 2024)

Shine Muscat grapes in Singapore tested and found safe: SFA

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Qns:

1. ‘Eating has never been more dangerous.’ Do you agree? (NYJC Prelim 2024)

2. Discuss the view that eating has never been riskier in today’s world. (SAJC Prelim 2024)

Seniors with swallowing difficulties try special dim sum in pilot project in Singapore

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Consider the impact of sci-tech here on the quality of life for the elderly.....

DPM Heng warns public about fake Facebook profiles impersonating him

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Qn: Education, not censorship, is the solution to misinformation. To what extent do you agree? (ASRJC Prelim 2024)