Singapore, which is often portrayed as an aspiring techno-utopia, is edging closer to a surveillance state amid a nationwide move toward constant vigilance
In the “smart nation,” robot dogs enforce social distancing and an app can claim to neutralize racism. The reality is very different. Tweets: @hackylawyer , @eashanghosh , @gquaggiotto , @angabridged , @restofworld , and @restofworld Tweets: Elizabeth M. Renieris / @hackylawyer : “The nature of these multiple purpose apps is that one part of it may be legitimate or justifiable. But because [of that], you don't question the other parts that come bundled together.” #PandemicTech #SurveillanceTech #DigitalID https://restofworld.org/... via @restofworld Eashan Ghosh / @eashanghosh : “Few experts expect that the additional surveillance measures put in place for Covid contact tracing will ever end, even when the risk of transmission subsides. There's a general acceptance that these are now permanent, political tools.” https://restofworld.org/... Giulio Quaggiotto / @gquaggiotto : “A lot of these spaces that are marginal ... they become spaces of technological experimentation. You have these seemingly exceptional spaces but they're not exceptional. They become slowly mundane.” https://restofworld.org/... Shannon Ang / @angabridged : Not sure if it's as dystopian as depicted, but SG is certainly too “tech-optimistic”. We don't talk enough about how human bias and power abuse seeps in. I mean, just look at how our Smart Nation Minister coolly overlooked the CPC's application to TT. https://restofworld.org/... @restofworld : Many believe that the environment for dissent is getting worse as the pandemic emergency allows anyone to be seen as a threat to the public order. Read @peterguest's feature on how Singapore's techno-utopian dream is becoming a surveillance nightmare https://restofworld.org/... @restofworld : The migrant workers that keep Singapore running are expected to exist separately from mainstream society. Some 300,000 are housed in migrant dormitories, where they've face near constant isolation and lockdown during the pandemic https://restofworld.org/... https://twitter.com/...