Singapore to enforce foreign interference and fake news laws during 2025 election

Singapore will issue its foreign interference and fake news laws should there be social media manipulation during the upcoming general elections (GE) this year. 

During a parliamentary sitting on Wednesday, Sun Xueling, minister of state for home affairs said the government is aware that social media platforms can use algorithms to manipulate the information users may see. 

She said algorithms by foreign individuals or entities, including social media companies, that deliberately manipulate and affect domestic politics, would constitute foreign interference.

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Various provisions under the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act (FICA) 2021 may be used to act against algorithmically-driven online foreign interference, particularly against hostile information campaigns to influence the GE. 

"If falsehoods against the public interest are communicated online during an election period, the government may issue directions under the Protection From Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) 2019, requiring the correct facts to be published," Sun said.

She added that all online election advertising during the election period must abide by the relevant rules, stating that the returning officer can direct social media platforms to disable access to, or remove any online election advertising that violates these rules. 

Following her speech, member of parliament Tan Wu Meng asked the minister if existing laws such as FICA and POFMA were adequate to address the issue of foreign-based social media platforms manipulating its algorithms to skew information. 

In her response, Sun said that the government is aware of the dangers and will engage social media companies ahead of the GE to emphasise compliance with applicable laws. She also added that the government also has several initiatives in place to help Singaporeans improve their information literacy skills. 

Pritam Singh, leader of the Opposition also asked Sun how the government will independently ascertain whether the relevant algorithms have been manipulated.

In her response, Sun noted that algorithms used by social media platforms are not illegal. She added that if the minster is satisfied that the algorithms have been used by foreign entities with political ends in mind to influence the country's politics, then they will be empowered to issue pre-emptive measures. 

Sun added that the government is open to conversations with academics and social media companies ahead of the elections to understand further as to what other steps can be taken.

Back in 2020, the Elections Department (ELD) of Singapore unveiled regulations for paid internet election advertising (IEA) during the election period. The new regulations aimed to increase transparency and accountability and is aimed at better safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process by strengthening disclosure requirements behind the use of paid online election ads, said ELD. The ELD is responsible for preparing and managing the conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections in Singapore.

Under the regulations, electoral candidates need to declare details of paid online election ads, and clearly state their expenses in the election expenses returns form, along with the responsible party paying for such ads.

Election candidates need to declare all platforms and publishers that they are using for both paid and unpaid online election ads within 12 hours of the start of the campaign period. Candidates will also have to outline the time period of when the ads will appear. Moreover, they are required to declare if money was received for the placement of the paid online ads. 

Following the implemented regulations, The ELD updated the Parliamentary Elections Act in 2024 with stricter rules on advertising. The rules were updated to enhance transparency and accountability, according to a statement by the ELD. 

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