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While generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology can aid productivity, it can also be misused and so compromise the social fabric of Singapore ( , April 11). As pointed out in the commentary, given the sophistication of the latest generative AI tools and that such capabilities are becoming more freely accessible to the masses, society must brace itself for misinformation and disinformation to proliferate more than ever. Users acting in bad faith can combine such technology with social engineering to create distrust, instability and further polarisation. Navigating a post-trust world and the polarising effects of misinformation and falsehoods will require a whole-of-society effort. As a first line of defence, more effort should be made to raise digital literacy. Singaporeans need to be more capable of spotting falsehoods and deepfake content. Yet, it is human to have a strong emotional response to incendiary content, which may hinder discernment. This is where enhancement or introduction of legislative provisions can be useful. Bolstering protections against defamation and cancel culture can protect individuals from being victims of technological misuse ( , Aug 23, 2022). For incidents that are controversial and where the facts of the matter are not clear, implementing new safeguards on social media could prevent impulsive and irresponsible cancelling. Reshare or comment functions could be temporarily disabled or require more steps before being accessible to discourage knee-jerk reactions that come from an emotional trigger. These will allow users to have opportunities to “cool off” and think through their response, rather than letting impulse get the better of them. Lastly, a more thoughtful society is also going to prepare us for the challenges in a post-trust world. As social media algorithms are designed to feed us with information we are inclined towards, we should make an effort to understand viewpoints that are at odds with our own. When engaging with people who have different viewpoints, let’s be charitable instead of viewing one another with suspicion.