BREAKING NEWS FROM THE STREAMING SECTOR
SINGAPORE’S FAKE NEWS CRACKDOWN
Singapore’s new law to combat fake news has come into force, despite criticism from tech companies and activists, who say the strict rules could stifle free speech. Under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, it is now illegal to spread “false statements of fact under circumstances” in which that information is considered prejudicial to Singapore’s society. The law gives government ministers powers to order
social media sites to put warnings next to posts authorities deem to be false, and in some cases get them taken down. Facebook, Twitter and Google – who opposed the bill during its advanced process through parliament – were given temporary exemptions from a handful of provisions to give them time to adapt. If an action is to be judged malicious, individuals could face fines of up to S$100,000 (£57,000), or jail terms of up to
ten years. Companies could be hit with fines of up to S$1m (£570,000). Kirsten Han, editor in chief of New Naratif, said: “The legislation is so broad it’ll be hard to predict how it’s going to be applied. What’s of immediate concern is the chilling effect and the further entrenchment of self-censorship.” Activists fear the law could be used to crack down on dissent during the run up to the Singapore elections.
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