Singapore: Digital Community Media Takes Shape

3 Feb 2010

In this hitech city state of 4 million where most people live in high rise apartment blocs, a new community media is taking shape.

More and more young people are jumping on the bandwagon of neighbourhood social networks, apparently inspired by social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

It is proving to be more popular with young people as most of the members of these websites are young people in their 20s to 30s. This is clearly demonstrated by the huge contrast between MyHome-Town.sg, the largest website covering older towns and a wider area with 7,000 subscribers, and www.sengkang.com which covers a significantly smaller and newer town consisting of a younger demographic with 8,000 subscribers. Social networks have just begun to take off in recent months although it started to spring up a few years ago.

Neighbourhood social networks are websites set up and operate by residents of HDB (Housing Development Board) flats, as a way of getting to know their neighbours, organise activities such as barbeques, upload photographs of the area’s developments, links to residents’ blogs and neighbourhood announcements such as information on suspicious activities or characters in the neighbourhood. HDB flats are government subsidised flats.

Some of these websites are sometimes set up and used as a web portal where residents put up information to update other residents on the construction progress, information on renovation and warning other residents of defects even before the estates are ready. Neighbourhood social network websites have also sprung up from areas such as Clementi, Toa Payoh and Simei.

Neighbourhood social networks is a thriving fusion of fostering the old village spirit that Singapore had back in the olden days, with modern technological tools that young Singaporeans are comfortable and proficient with. Social networks have proven to enhance community interaction as it provides the opportunity for residents to meet other residents face to face even before they move into their flats.

Source: Straits Times