In an update to a story we brought you earlier this month, Singapore’s Parliament has officially passed the “Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) Amendment Bill.” The newly approved legislation, known as Bill No. 29/2024, amends both the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 and the Presidential Elections Act 1991, aiming to ensure that election campaigns remain transparent and free from misleading online manipulation, especially in an era of rapidly advancing digital technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The legislation’s primary focus is to prohibit the publication of online election advertising that includes digitally altered content, particularly content that falsely represents a candidate’s words or actions. This amendment is part of Singapore’s broader effort to uphold the fairness and accuracy of its election processes, given the increasing prevalence of AI-driven technologies capable of creating hyper-realistic yet entirely false depictions.
The new law targets digital content that is so convincing that it could mislead voters into believing that a candidate made a statement or took an action during the election period when they, in fact, did not. For instance, a doctored video might falsely portray a candidate endorsing a policy they have consistently opposed, or AI-generated imagery could be manipulated to change the context of a speech or campaign event.
The legislation covers all forms of online election advertising published within Singapore during election periods, including content disseminated via social media platforms, websites, and other digital spaces. The law grants the Returning Officer the authority to issue corrective directives, compelling those responsible for publishing misleading content to either remove or amend it.
Violations of the newly passed law carry substantial penalties. Individuals found guilty of publishing manipulated election content could face fines of up to SGD 1,000 or imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both. In addition, social media companies or online platforms that fail to comply with removal or correction orders could be subject to fines of up to SGD 1 million, sending a strong message to all parties about the seriousness of maintaining election integrity.
However, the law does make important distinctions and exemptions. It does not apply to private, domestic communications between individuals, nor does it affect content published by authorized news agencies. Additionally, certain categories of content may be exempted under other prescribed regulations.
The law also provides candidates with the ability to request that the Returning Officer issue corrective directives to remove or clarify manipulated content. However, any candidate who knowingly submits a false or misleading request for such action faces penalties themselves, ensuring that the law applies fairly and that all parties involved in the election process are held accountable.
The passage of this law comes in response to growing concerns about the role of AI and digital manipulation technologies in election campaigns. The bill’s explanatory statement explicitly references the threat posed by generative AI, which has the capability to create convincing but entirely fabricated content. For example, AI tools could be used to alter a video or audio recording to misrepresent a candidate’s position on a particular issue, potentially misleading voters.
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