Singapore’s anti-fake news law helped maintain trust in media, says junior minister

 

Janil Puthucheary speaking to a visiting Malaysian media team recently. He said it is important to find ways for people to trust what they’re reading online.

SINGAPORE: 

A law against fake news enacted in 2019 has helped maintain trust in the media, according to a junior minister in the republic.

Janil Puthucheary said Singaporeans 

trust the news that the government is putting out, but they also trust the media platforms

.

Speaking to a visiting Malaysian media team recently, Putucheary said the Protection of Online Falsehoods and Manipulations Act requires that corrections are displayed alongside reports containing false information so that 

people can read and come to a conclusion about what is the truth

.

The law was extensively used during Singapore’s 2020 general election and the Covid-19 pandemic, with correction notices issued to opposition figures, including Alex Tan, who was required to correct false statements regarding cross-border travel arrangements. - FMT