Musk’s xAI blames ‘unauthorised’ tweak for ‘white genocide’ posts by Grok chatbot

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Should there be harsher penalties for animal abusers? Lawyers weigh in

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community cats have died. One was found on the road near an estate in Yishun on May 9, disembowelled and with its eyes gouged out.

Upgrading of ITE campuses: Reimagining classrooms as an open gym and aircraft engine workshop

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The aim is for students to be immersed in practical learning, from leading circuit training exercises to analysing posture and movement through an AI-driven motion capture system – commonly used in professional sports and rehabilitation to track and assess body movement.

how ITE campuses have refreshed their facilities to keep up with industry needs and deepen student learning.

What better way to prepare students for a career in aircraft engine maintenance than to provide them with a workshop on campus that mirrors one in the real world?

Qn: Do schools still have a future?

Should a 5-year-old be using ChatGPT to learn?

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The title is very useful for an opening BANG....Change the Should' to 'Would' and it becomes a useful closing BANG!

using AI to learn... is affecting young people’s ability to think critically and learn independently.

ChatGPT put out biased and inaccurate information, even sheer nonsense because they tend to “hallucinate”.

The more the participants, knowledge workers, trusted and used AI for certain tasks, the less they practised those skills – such as writing, analysis and critical evaluations – themselves....an atrophying of skills in those areas.

Those using AI for critical thinking tools were also more likely to produce “a less diverse set of outcomes for the same task, compared with those without”. So it’s not just about losing our critical thinking abilities, but also our ability to think out of the box.

Qns:

1. To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people? (Cam. 2010)

2. 'Useful servant, but dangerous master.' How far is this true of technology today? (JPJC WA 2025)

Singapore’s youth use AI every day – but most don’t know what it’s really doing

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Forget chatbots, reading can help combat loneliness and boost the brain

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For qns on reading and loneliness...

Ong Ye Kung, Chee Hong Tat and Ng Chee Meng ask Facebook user to withdraw Su Haijin allegations

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=Note the power of social media: just one photo uploaded can have the power to jeopardize a person's political career. Compare with previous post on Kim Soo Hyun (photos and video clip) and Eleanor Lee (audio clip). This is effectively cancel culture at work.

 =in the event if the parties concerned are truly guilty, then social media has an important role to play here in exposing the truth and bringing about justice. In the case of politics, it acts as a check and balance against powerful governments or influential personalities..... 

Forum: TV series’ portrayal of schizophrenia can affect understanding of condition

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concerned about the inaccurate and stigmatising portrayal of schizophrenia in the final episode. The character Zhang Anna, depicted throughout as a manipulative and villainous figure, is abruptly diagnosed with schizophrenia. Yet, she had not exhibited any symptoms consistent with this condition

The suggestion that schizophrenia serves as an explanation for moral failings or harmful acts conflates a serious medical condition with issues of character. Misrepresenting persons with schizophrenia as threats risks discouraging help-seeking and deepening their social isolation.

Popular media plays a powerful role in shaping public attitudes. Let us work together to tell stories that are not just compelling, but also responsible and humane.

Would this be counted as misinformation? fake news? by traditional media some more! Some years back, there was a similar complaint about Mediacorp [see HERE]. In one of its drama serials "My Guardian Angels", a male paedophile is portrayed as a member of the LGBT, fostering the perception that LGBT are sexual perverts.

Qns:

1. Consider the argument that the main purpose of television should be to educate rather than simply to entertain. (Cam. 2015)

2. Is traditional media always more reliable than social media? (DHS Prelim 2024)

3. ‘Social media promotes progress.’ Do you agree? (YIJC Prelim 2024)

‘I’m in love with China’: Actress Eleanor Lee denies making derogatory comments about Chinese people

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Eleanor Lee has broken her silence on an online storm related to the release of an audio recording, denying that she had made derogatory comments about people in China.

It stressed that the recording and other related content circulating online are fabricated and untrue. It also urged internet users to stop circulating them, adding that it will take legal action against those who continue to do so.

Compare with the recent scandal involving Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun, which was triggered by a clip released on youtube. Regardless of whether the protaganist is guilty or not, the fact remains that social media is immensely powerful and destroy the careers of those who fall prey to it. Think also how social media similarly brought down Harvey Weinstein -- arguably the first victim of the Me-Too movement.

Of course, if both Kim Soo Hyun and Eleanor Lee are guilty as charged, then social media would have done the right thing here in exposing them. The question then would be whether the punishment meted out on them is proportional to the nature of their offense. Was anyone harmed? Where cancel culture is concerned, the penalty is usually largely disproportionate to the offence.

With the advent of AI deepfakes, it is now very easy to frame someone coz can make them say things which they did not....

For qns on social media, cancel culture, invasion of privacy, etc.

Qn: Fake news is the fault of social media. Discuss.

Measles roars back in the US, topping 1,000 cases

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The surge comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr continues to undermine confidence in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine – a highly effective shot he has falsely claimed is dangerous and contains foetal debris.

Nationwide immunisation rates have been dropping in the US, fuelled by misinformation about vaccines, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For qns on fake news....

Over 460 youth arrested for sexual crimes in 2024; sexual penetration of minors most common offence

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Being exposed to such material online was one reason for young people aged 19 and below committing sex offences,

Youth need secure, consistent relationships with adults who model respect, trust and accountability. “When that’s missing, when a child grows up in a home where touch is either absent or abusive, where no one talks about feelings and where ‘yes’ and ‘no’ are not respected, they carry those distortions into adolescence.

For qns on media and crime

India wages information war to show it has the upper hand against Pakistan

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some sections of the media had pushed the narrative of strong government response by backing it with unverified information, inadvertently muddying the government’s messaging.

the Indian Defence Ministry...“advised” TV media, among others, against “live coverage or real-time reporting of defence operations and movement of security forces”. “Beyond legal compliance, it is a shared moral responsibility to ensure our collective actions do not compromise ongoing operations or the security of our forces

Indian TV channels then, too, whipped up passions, seeking revenge for the killing of the soldiers....Definitely the media has a role, including in de-escalation,” he added.

Qns:

1. Is traditional media always more reliable than social media? (DHS Prelim 2024)

2. Examine the claim that social media worsens human relationships. (VJC Prelim 2024)

‘If I had a switch to slow down AI, I might use it’: Bill Gates on technology, giving, resilience

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“I am only going to reduce my wealth by about 98 per cent,” he points out. He adds with a smile: “I will find a way to live on that remaining two billion.”

“AI is amazing and scary,” he says. “You know, if I had a switch where I could slow it down, I might use that switch, just to give us time to get ready.”

For AI and tech qns....

Sexism and politics: General elections should not be beauty pageants

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While their male counterparts are assessed largely on policy and performance, female candidates have to fight a parallel campaign involving their age, looks, marital status and wardrobe, often eclipsing their political positions.

Once a woman enters the political spotlight, her appearance becomes public property.

From Reddit threads to Facebook groups, her weight, facial features and clothing are dissected. Political forums become beauty contests, and policy discussions are sidelined.

Even compliments carry baggage. Online “fan clubs” spring up around women candidates, but their admiration often focuses primarily on looks – with overtly sexual undertones.

Singapore prides itself on being a meritocracy. But merit means more than just talent. Meritocracy also requires fairness – an environment where everyone has a shot, regardless of gender.

Qn: To what extent are people judged more by their physical appearance than by their abilities? (Cam. 2017)

Bill Gates to give away fortune by 2045 via foundation, accuses Musk of harming world’s poor

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the world’s poorest would receive some US$200 billion (S$259 billion) via his foundation at a time when governments worldwide are slashing international aid.

The Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has led to the decimation of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which has previously provided billions in funding for everything from vaccines for children to emergency food assistance.

despite the foundation’s deep pockets, progress would not be possible without government support.

Qns on the role of philanthropy...

Qns:

1. The person who dies rich dies disgraced. Discuss. (Cam. 2010)

2. How effective are international efforts to ease the problem of global hunger? (Cam. 2010)

Trump Denies Posting Image of Himself as Pope, Laughing Off Critics

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Catholics across the country, including a prominent American cardinal, have suggested the image is offensive, especially as they mourn the death of Pope Francis.

For qns on humour and AI....

Qns:

1. 'Humour is essential for an individual’s well-being.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2024)

 2. Can humour ever be serious? (Cam. 2012)

Keeping up with the conclave: TikTok brings Gen Z closer to the Catholic Church

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While blending centuries-old rituals with cheeky or witty online humour is seen by some as creative commentary, others – particularly within Catholic circles – are raising ethical questions about making light of revered traditions. Experts say the phenomenon reflects Gen Z’s instinct to remix serious world events into shared online moments, often blurring the line between respect and satire.

for many Gen Z Catholics and even curious outsiders, the online buzz has become a gateway into real conversations about the future of the Church. What started as jokes about the cardinals’ robes turned into genuine discourse on the theological and political leanings of papal contenders, and what that would mean to Catholics in the modern age.

Humour helps Gen Z process complex issues, he said. “Making jokes is a release of tension. It’s not an attack on the sacred or the elimination of the sanctity of the Church. Rather, it’s a way of participating in these conversations”.

Sometimes, a meme or even TikTok videos can be great social commentaries about certain aspects of an event. This could lead to further reflection, evaluation and, hopefully, action

some videos branded the papabili like beauty pageant contestants

 

the Church has long used art – from stained glass windows in churches to famous paintings depicting biblical scenes – to bring its message to believers.

“Now, it’s mediated by technology like TikTok, but the same dynamics are at play

For qns on humour and the impact or role of technology in religion....

Qns:

1. 'Humour is essential for an individual’s well-being.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2024)

 2. Can humour ever be serious? (Cam. 2012)

Philanthropic bodies should help fund R&D on treatment of mosquito-borne diseases: Experts

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Investments in science are needed to produce such interventions, which may take several decades to develop

making sure that governments know how to set the right priorities, and that means that the blended financing for capacity-building suddenly becomes very important, on top of the innovations,...referring to the mixing of both public and private funding

philanthropic organisations have a mandate and a responsibility to finance medical innovations, as they can take risks that governments and corporations cannot take on

For qns on charity and philanthropy...

GE2025: WP’s Andre Low apologises for ‘inappropriate’ language, remarks in leaked Telegram messages

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the leaked Telegram messages were from a private chat among his business school classmates. Many of the messages date back to the Covid-19 period

For qns on social media's impact on democracy.....privacy.....