SINGAPORE, Singapore — A French teenager has been charged in Singapore after a viral social media video showed him licking a straw from a juice vending machine and returning it, an act that triggered public outrage and prompted hygiene reforms by the operator.
The 18-year-old, identified as Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, faces charges of mischief and public nuisance.
He was formally charged on April 24 and has not entered a plea, according to reports.
Prosecutors allege the incident occurred on March 12 at a shopping mall in Singapore.
The video, which quickly circulated online, showed the teenager allegedly tampering with a straw from an orange juice vending machine before placing it back.
Authorities say the clip caused public alarm over food safety and sanitation standards.
Maximilien, who is studying at a French business school in Singapore, was granted court permission on Wednesday to travel to Manila in May for a school-related graduation trip.
He is expected to return to court on May 29.
The vending machine operator, IJooz, filed a police report shortly after the video surfaced.
The company said it immediately sanitised the affected machine and replaced all 500 straws as a precautionary measure.
It also confirmed plans to strengthen hygiene controls across its systems.
Among the planned upgrades are individually packaged straws and redesigned compartments that only unlock after a purchase is completed, in an effort to prevent tampering and restore consumer confidence.
Singapore maintains strict public health and cleanliness regulations, which are strictly enforced across the city-state. Littering, vandalism, and acts deemed to compromise public hygiene are met with stiff penalties.
The country is also known globally for its tight controls on public conduct, including long-standing restrictions on chewing gum sales.
The teenager’s lawyers have declined to comment on the ongoing case.
The incident has reignited debate over social media behaviour among young people and the legal consequences of viral stunts, particularly in jurisdictions with strict public order laws like Singapore.
