Are smartphones amplifying the perception of violence in Singapore?

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Viral videos and smartphones appear to make violent incidents more visible, but hard data on any rise in violence is not established
Viral videos in Singapore have shown multiple incidents, including a man with a sword slashing at cars and passersby in Buangkok, and a 64-year-old man with a knife shot dead by police on March 23, 2022, on Bendemeer Road. The coverage also notes that there is no hard statistical data to confirm an uptick in violence, even while violent events are becoming more visible. One explanation put forward is that smartphones and social media platforms such as TikTok may be increasing how widely these incidents are seen.
Incidents captured on video span multiple locations and types
Several widely shared clips described verbally aggressive encounters and fights between citizens, including older men fighting and cursing through apartment gates. The reported cases also include a gym flare-up captured on video, a knife-wielding man attacking policemen at Clementi police station and being shot non-lethally, and the sword incident in Buangkok. These examples are presented as part of the same period of viral circulation, including references to 2022.
Visibility may be rising even without confirmed violence-rate increases
The coverage explicitly says there is no hard data to confirm that violence is increasing in Singapore. At the same time, it states that violent incidents have become more visible, implying a gap between what is being experienced and what is being recorded and shared. In other words, the claim centres on perception and visibility rather than a proven change in the underlying rate of violence.
The proposed link to smartphones and TikTok is about wider reach
One reason suggested for greater visibility is that people now have smartphones and use platforms such as TikTok, which can spread footage quickly. Under that framing, more incidents may be documented and circulated, making them easier to notice and remember even if the overall level of violence is unchanged. The coverage does not provide measurements that isolate the effect of smartphones or social media on perceptions.
Broader context is raised, but the evidence remains limited
The coverage also contrasts the Singapore examples with a widely publicised global incident at the Academy Awards involving Will Smith and Chris Rock, using it to illustrate that public standards can slip across places. It further points to possible pressures such as pandemic restrictions and an increasingly expensive and competitive world, but these are raised as factors to explore rather than as verified causes of any measurable change. Overall, the central point remains that smartphones may amplify what people see, while confirmed proof of an increase in violence is not established.

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Are smartphones amplifying the perception of violence in Singapore?

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