Singapore’s new law to combat “fake news” yesterday came into effect, despite criticism from tech giants and press freedom advocates, who labeled the tough rules a “chilling” attempt to stifle dissent.
The law gives government ministers powers to order social media sites to put warnings next to posts authorities deem to be false and, in extreme cases, get them taken down.
Facebook Inc, Twitter and Alphabet’s Google — who have their Asian headquarters in Singapore — were given temporary exemptions from a handful of provisions in the act to give them time to adapt.
If an action is judged to be malicious and damaging to Singapore’s interests, companies could be hit with fines of up to S$1 million (US$720,000), while individuals could face jail terms of up to 10 years.
Authorities insist the measures are necessary to stop the circulation of falsehoods that could sow divisions in society and erode trust in institutions.
However, the laws have sparked outrage from rights groups, who fear they could stifle online discussion, tech companies and media organizations.
Advocates fear the legislation could also be used to crack down on dissent in the run-up to a general election in Singapore, and there are concerns it could also erode academic freedoms.
Journalist and advocate Kirsten Han (韓俐穎), who is the editor-in-chief of independent media outlet New Naratif, said the legislation was “extremely worrying.”
“It’s such a broad law that it’s 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,” she said.
After the law was passed in May, Google said it was concerned the legislation will “hurt innovation and the growth of the digital information ecosystem.”
Critics are especially concerned it will be up to authorities alone to judge what is “fake news,” but the government insists any decision can be challenged in the courts.
It would cost S$200 to file an appeal and there would be no court fees for the first three days of hearings, an apparent response to complaints that most people do not have the means to take on the government.
The law was “not so much about controlling free speech,” Singaporean Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran said in an interview with CNBC. “We share the common objective of wanting to allow people to engage on social media platforms ... in order to have that contest of ideas.”
The law could be a concern for international media, many of which have sizeable operations in the city-state.
Singapore’s domestic media are largely pro-government and the city-state ranks 151st out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index. A country with a number one ranking is deemed to have the greatest press freedom.
Singapore is among several countries to have passed laws against fake news, and there are genuine concerns misinformation has been used to manipulate elections and target minority groups.
However, observers have said authoritarian regimes around the world, encouraged by US President Donald Trump’s attacks on “fake news,” are exaggerating the threat to crack down on critics.
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
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