S’pore man, 57, offers free earphones to those playing loud music or videos on public transport

A 57-year-old Singaporean man named Josh Goh has been offering complimentary earphones to passengers who play music or videos loudly on public transport. In an Aug. 14 video on TikTok, Goh is seen approaching a female passenger on a bus, offering her a pair of new earphones. "Aunty, I give you earphones, you can plug it into your phone," Goh said in Mandarin. "It's free." Despite Goh's assurances, the woman declined the offer.

Goh, a part-time tutor, had been carrying spare earphones with him since two months ago, motivated by his observation of passengers playing music or videos loudly on public transport, which could disturb other commuters. He began offering earphones to such passengers around two months ago and has approached them eight or nine times, giving away three or four pairs of earphones. One recipient even gave him a thumbs-up in appreciation.

Goh expressed his motivation as a problem-solver, stating that he brought out the earphones he had collected to see if distributing them would address the noise issue. Many online commenters praised Goh's actions on TikTok, while others questioned if new laws had been introduced to tackle inconsiderate behavior and noise on public transport.

In response to such concerns, new penalties were introduced on Oct. 14, 2025, for public transport users and visitors to bus interchanges in Singapore who disrupt other passengers. Authorized officers can impose penalties based on the severity of the disturbance, with repeat offenders facing higher fines, including up to S$1,000 and being asked to leave the premises.