SINGAPORE: A proposed law to prevent, detect and disrupt the use of hostile information campaigns and local proxies by foreign entities intending to i

Proposed law against foreign interference introduced in Parliament, can order take down of ‘hostile’ information on social media

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2021-09-14 00:30:06

SINGAPORE: A proposed law to prevent, detect and disrupt the use of hostile information campaigns and local proxies by foreign entities intending to interfere in domestic politics was introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Parliament on Monday (Sep 13).

The Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act will give the Minister for Home Affairs the power to take down content deemed to be part of a hostile information campaign, MHA said in a news release.

For instance, the minister can direct social media platforms to disclose information even before suspected hostile information campaign content is published, or require newspapers to publish a mandatory message about an imminent hostile information campaign even if they did not carry the offending content.

Prior to issuing these directions, the minister must suspect or have reason to believe that content has been or is planned to be communicated by or on behalf of a foreign principal; that there is information or material being published in Singapore as a result; and that it is in the public interest to issue the directions.

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