[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – In applying Singapore’s fake news law, the focus is on whether there is a falsehood and whether it is in the public interest to act against it, rather than the identity of the person or entity responsible for the falsehood, said Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran on Monday (Jan 6).
The fact that the first few directions to correct the falsehoods, issued under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), were made against individuals who are either politicians, affiliated with political parties or political parties themselves is a “convergence, some might say an unfortunate convergence or coincidence”, he told Parliament.
“If you look at it in totality, we have to take into account the overall impact, then we have to consider what is the proportionate response, and then be prepared to take it.
“If it so happens that some of the people involved are politically affiliated, that’s just the consequence of their actions,” he added.
He was replying to Nominated MPs Anthea Ong and Walter Theseira on the use of Pofma, which has been invoked four times since it came into effect on Oct 2 last year.
[ad_2]
Source link
