Forum: Think twice before posting videos of ordinary people online
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The article “Video of ex-actor Huang Yiliang’s hawker stall assistant posted online, she considers quitting job” (May 13) raises troubling questions about the effect that online postings can have on ordinary people.
According to the report, the assistant is considering quitting after a video clip of her was uploaded online without her consent and circulated publicly. Regardless of how the original disagreement started, it is unfortunate if a third party feels so distressed by public exposure that she is thinking of leaving her job.
This case highlights a wider social issue.
In recent years, it has become increasingly easy for video clips to be recorded and shared online within minutes. Once such material spreads on social media, the consequences for the individual involved can be severe and difficult to reverse.
Many ordinary people are not public figures and may not be equipped to deal with sudden online attention. Greater care and responsibility should therefore be exercised before posting videos of individuals online, especially when they were not directly involved in the underlying disagreement.
Mohamad Nurhafiz Mohd Noor
