Transformation in the Age of Misinformation

In a speech entitled Transformation in the Age of Misinformation, Mr Iswaran outlined the reasoning for a bill under consideration in Singapore’s Parliament to grant government ministers the ability to demand corrections, order the removal of content, or block websites deemed to be propagating falsehoods contrary to the public interest.

“We are not alone in facing this challenge – many countries are studying it closely and developing measures to deal with falsehoods,” Mr Iswaran said in prepared remarks. “Germany has introduced its Network Enforcement Act, which covers a broad range of content including hate speech, and speech based on falsity, such as criminal defamation and forgery. The UK has released a White Paper expressing how harmful online content and behaviour, including the spread of fake news, could be dealt with. This is a new arena for most of us and the effectiveness of these solutions remain to be seen.”

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