On January 23, 2024, the Singapore Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Act officially came into force, marking a significant legislative move as the country gears up for its next general election, scheduled for no later than November 2025. This new law enhances earlier election regulations, responding to the increasing emergence of fraudulent online advertisements that may feature manipulated or misleading content regarding election candidates.
Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo highlighted the law's importance amid fears that advancements in artificial intelligence, including technologies like deepfakes, could jeopardize electoral integrity. The amendment explicitly forbids the dissemination of online election advertising that presents "realistic but false representations" of candidates, designed to mislead voters.
For instance, a hypothetical false advertisement might show a candidate speaking at a religious site with a claim relating to future public housing development that misrepresents a previous statement made by the candidate. Such distortions will now be classified as offenses under the new law. Alongside the establishment of this law, officials unveiled a committee responsible for reviewing electoral boundaries, a necessary step in preparing for the upcoming elections.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to lead the People's Action Party in the forthcoming election campaign. Although the precise polling date remains unannounced, media reports indicate that previous election cycles have seen a varying gap of four to eleven months between the committee's formation and the actual polling day.
0 Comments
Name
Comment Text