This book focuses on developments and trends pertaining to online falsehoods and mobile instant messaging services (MIMS), the impact of online falsehoods transmitted via MIMS, and practice and intervention. As the reliance on mobile devices for news seeking and information sharing continues to grow, the spread of online falsehoods on MIMS is a problem that confounds academics, practitioners, and policymakers. Recent developments in countries such as Brazil and India demonstrate how MIMS facilitate the spread of online falsehoods. Given that a number of non-academic and non-governmental institutions in the region are doing important work in countering the influence of online falsehoods, this book also includes contributions by practitioners who design initiatives and programmes in this area. The book is a timely contribution in addressing the distinct issues of online falsehoods in a large, technophilic region such as Asia, grappling with problems of online falsehoods on so many fronts, including ideological extremism, political opportunism, cyberscams, political activism, digitalised learning, geopolitical tensions, and more. Relevant to researchers and policymakers, this book provides a timely and critical analysis of both research and practice conducted in the Asian context by scholars hailing from a range of disciplines such media studies, political communication, cultural studies, and cognitive science.

Set within the context of growing political pluralism and the increasing use of new communication technologies for social mobilisation, the Institute of Policy Studies organised a national conference on civil society in November 2013. This collection of the essays that were presented at or inspired by the conference provides nuanced analyses of the development of the sector in Singapore since the Institute's first such conference held in 1998. The first section of the book discusses the different philosophies and approaches that underpin how civic activists engage with the State; the second section examines some key forces of change that are re-shaping the sector; and, the third section sets out some emerging issues facing it. Combining insights from experts and civic activists themselves, this book proposes an agenda for the future development of the civil society in Singapore.

Singapore reaches an important milestone in its national development in 2015 when it celebrates its 50th year of independence. It has earned many accolades for the progress it has made in governance, the economy and societal development. However, with changing demographics, resource constraints and the emergence of regional competitors, Singapore's future is fraught with uncertainty.The book is a collection of papers presented at Singapore Perspectives 2015 by leading thought leaders and eminent speakers, reflecting on the critical decisions made in Singapore's past so as to envision strategic paths that the country should take in the future.The contributors include experts in their fields: Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan, Professor Evelyn Goh, Professor Tan Kong Yam, Professor Linda Lim, Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Tong Yee, Vikram Khanna and Associate Professor Eugene Tan. The inter-generational dialogue session with Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress Chan Chun Sing carries the central theme of looking at the choices Singapore made in the past and the choices that have to be made moving forward.In line with reflecting on Singapore's past, the book will include a full report on a survey of 1,500 Singaporeans' perceptions of 50 historical events from independence to now.