Will Singapore find a way to counter misinformation ahead of its next GE?: Opinion

Almost two decades ago, Singapore’s 2006 general election (GE) was dubbed its first Internet election, as the public turned to independent blogs for alternative views. In 2011, the rise of Facebook and Twitter made for the first so-called “social media election”.

By GE 2015, memes and viral posts were as much a part of the election hustings as official rallies. The pandemic-era GE 2020 took this to a new level, with Covid-19 restrictions forcing election activities to go online.

Even with the post-pandemic return of offline campaigning, the next GE – to be held no later than November 2025 – will undoubtedly be more hotly contested online than before. As the presidential election in 2023 showed, candidates aim to be present not just on the ground, but on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

Yet even as the Internet allows political candidates to reach the electorate more directly, it also exposes voters to misinformation.

Political misinformation has already been rife, for various nefarious purposes. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has warned of deepfake videos generated with artificial intelligence (AI) that appear to show him hawking investment schemes or – even more dangerously – making provocative remarks on foreign affairs.

This month, the authorities directed five social media platforms to block 95 accounts that might have been mounting “hostile information campaigns”, alleging that China’s government is influencing Singapore.

The Singapore government is clearly taking the threat seriously. Earlier this month, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said that the Republic is looking at how to regulate deepfake content ahead of the next GE.

She cited South Korea’s 90-day ban on political AI-generated content ahead of its April elections, but noted that Singapore does not have as much advance notice of when elections are to be held.

“Obviously, the (South Korean) law can’t quite apply in our context; so we will have to find something suitable,” she said.

There is still more than a year before Singapore’s next GE needs to be held. Pundits expect that it may not be held this year, given that the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee had not been convened as at early July.

That might give Singapore’s lawmakers enough time to draft and pass legislation before electoral preparations begin, giving the authorities another enforcement lever besides the existing Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma).

Of course, it would help if political leaders were less coy about election timing. In other countries, election timing is often just another political tool, with snap elections called as gambles. Singapore’s politicians may of course avail themselves of the option – but could also be assured enough not to feel that need.

Regardless, even with legislative safeguards, it will be hard to take thorough enforcement against digital misinformation. Pofma takedowns can be issued to platforms, but how can any government curb misleading videos recirculated in Whatsapp or Telegram groups?

Here, perhaps the oldest defences are the best: common sense and media literacy. Even without AI-generated videos, after all, rumours can still spread. An informed and healthily sceptical electorate will be its own best defence.

Source: Business Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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