SINGAPORE - A new Bill was tabled by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) in Parliament on Sept 9 to deal with false content put out to sway elections here.

Called the Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Bill, it will introduce new measures to protect Singaporeans from digitally manipulated content during elections, including artificial intelligence-generated misinformation, commonly known as deepfakes.

From the issuance of the Writ of Election to the close of polls on Polling Day, the Bill proposes to prohibit the publication of digitally generated or manipulated online election advertising (OEA) that depicts a candidate saying or doing something that he or she did not. It will apply only to OEA depicting people who are running as candidates for an election.

The Bill will amend the Parliamentary Elections Act and the Presidential Elections Act to introduce the new safeguards.

Q: Why is this Bill needed?

A: Misinformation created by AI-generated content and deepfakes has been used during elections in other countries, and is also a salient threat to Singapore’s electoral integrity. Such content can realistically depict the appearance, voice or action of a candidate, which can deceive or mislead the public. Voters must be able to make informed choices based on facts and not misinformation.

In Singapore, there have been cases of AI-generated content being used to impersonate individuals, including political office-holders. While such content has so far primarily been used for scams, it can also be deployed during an election.

Q: How is it different from Pofma?

A: While the Government can already deal with individual pieces of online falsehoods against the public interest through the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), the Bill is targeted specifically at Singapore’s election periods.

If passed, it will allow an election candidate to report any misinformation about his or her words or actions. It also enables the Returning Officer (RO) to address deepfakes swiftly by directing their removal, given the fast-paced nature of information flow in an election context.

Q: Why limit the Bill to only elections?

A: It is focused on the challenges and risks posed by AI-generated content in the high-stakes context of elections. Other laws such as Pofma and the Online Criminal Harms Act are safeguards that are in place to tackle such threats during non-election periods.

A new code of practice (COP) will also be introduced soon to ensure that social media companies do more to gatekeep, safeguard and moderate content on their platforms. Details of the COP will be shared at a later stage, said MDDI.

Q: What is and isn’t covered under the Bill?

A: Content that will be covered includes realistic audiofakes or robocalls, and manipulated content using non-AI techniques such as splicing and photoshopping of videos that may affect electoral outcomes.

Besides covering fresh content, those who pay to boost, share or repost such content will also be liable.

What is not covered includes animated cartoons and characters, cosmetic alterations, entertainment content and memes, and campaign posters.

Also not covered is news published by authorised news agencies for factual reporting on prohibited content, as well as content communicated electronically between individuals that is of a private nature.

Q: What are some of the actions that can be taken against misinformation?

A: The RO can issue corrective directions to individuals who publish such content. He can also issue such directions to social media services and internet providers to take down the content, or to disable access by Singapore users to such content during the election period. Failure to comply would be an offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment, or both, on conviction.

Q: How will the public be informed about any misinformation?

A: The public will be informed by the authorities when there is a need to remove certain content.

The candidate can also put out his or her own press statement or social media post to inform the public of any misinformation, given the urgency and fast-paced nature of an election period.

Independent fact-checkers and media outlets may also separately do their checks and debunk such falsehoods.