SINGAPORE — In an era marked by disruptions from global trade, technological advancement and human migration, Singapore’s anti-fake news law is one means of preserving the country’s social cohesion, said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat on Friday .
As such, there is “legislation to ensure that our fault-lines are less easily exploited by those who seek to do us harm”, Heng said. He pointed to the use of laws like the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act to deal with hate speech and the spread of misinformation.
The country adopted a strategy of expanding common spaces and shared experiences, while preserving racial and religious diversity and guarding against forces that can tear society apart, he added. Controversial lawThe anti-fake news law, also known as POFMA, has been the subject of intense debate and scrutiny since its first reading in Parliament in April.