Lawyers Say People Who Online Shame Others for Not Wearing Masks is Considered Doxxing

My colleague wrote an article saying that online vigilantes going around to film people breaking safe distancing measures is a “disturbing trend” on the rise.

Turns out, it’s not only disturbing but illegal as well.

Doxxing

On 1 Jan 2020, Singapore’s amendments to the law of doxxing came into effect.

Basically, if you share other people’s personal information such as:

• Photographs
• Videos
• Employment Information
• Family
• Education
• Contact details

with the express intent to harass, threaten or incite violence against them, you’re breaking the law.

And taking a video to online shame other people falls into two out of three types of doxxing offences:

• Publishing personal information with the intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress
• Publishing personal information to facilitate the use of violence

Lawyers: Taking Videos To Online Shame Others For Not Wearing Masks Is Considered Doxxing

Facebook groups dedicated to calling out people breaking Circuit Breaker rules have been sprouting up like beansprouts.

For example, Covidiots which has 23,000 members.

Lawyers spoken to said that while some were doing it to raise awareness, they are doing so while unaware of the risks of their actions.

For one, they could encourage people to search out these rulebreakers themselves and “teach them a lesson”.

While you might think, “impossible lah, Singaporeans so obedient”, remember the Toa Payoh couple or cyclist who hit the mirror off a lorry on the road.

“Two Rights Don’t Make One Wrong”

The mob mentality that Singaporeans seemed to have is mainly why Doxxing laws are set up.

And just like the Toa Payoh couple and cyclist cases, the wrong people were identified and their lives were made a living hell by netizens intent on “teaching them a lesson”.

Come, we make it simple for you.

If you sincerely want the rulebreaker to be investigated, there are other ways.

“If the aim is for the alleged violator to be investigated, then the video taker should simply present the video to the police. Vigilantism undermines the rule of law and serves no legitimate purpose.”

But if your aim is to shame and get “justice” from members of the public, you’re breaking the law.

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The authorities have made it simpler for you to report rulebreakers during this CB period.

All you have to do is snap an image or two of the incident and provide some details.

See, it’s that simple.

Like what Singapore’s resident discipline master says, let our officers deal with it instead.

While you stay home.