Assessment of AI-generated Deepfake Political Videos and Regulatory Intervention Thresholds under POFMA and OCHA
Ministry of Digital Development and InformationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the assessment of AI-generated deepfake videos and the thresholds for regulatory intervention under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) and the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA). Ms Sylvia Lim inquired about testing vulnerable groups and the level of public confusion required for proactive intervention against such content. Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo stated that the Government evaluates harmful content holistically based on legislative conditions rather than a single factor. She explained that POFMA addresses falsehoods in the public interest, whereas OCHA is used when there is suspicion of criminal activity or scams. Finally, the Minister emphasized the importance of public education frameworks, such as Digital Skills for Life, to help Singaporeans identify AI-generated misinformation.
Transcript
32 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Government does testing on vulnerable groups before determining that AI-generated deepfake videos involving political office-holders are so obviously fabricated that directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 are unnecessary; and (b) what threshold of public confusion arising from such videos must be met before a proactive intervention under the Online Criminal Harms Act 2023.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, a Minister can issue a Correction Direction if a false statement of fact has been communicated in Singapore, and it is in the public interest to issue the Correction Direction. This includes online falsehoods communicated via deepfake videos.
Under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA), the Government can issue directions to online service providers to disable Singapore users' access to an online content or activity, when there is reasonable suspicion that the online activity is in furtherance of a specified criminal offence under the First Schedule of OCHA, or when there is suspicion or reason to believe that the online activity is preparatory to the commission of a scam or malicious cyber activity. This includes deepfake images and videos.
The Government assesses harmful online content holistically and determines the appropriate response, based on a range of factors for each case and the legal conditions under the relevant legislation. As such, intervention is not determined by any single factor alone.
We recognise that there are segments of society who may be less confident in their ability to discern between fact and falsehood online. Public education initiatives are therefore as important as legislation to help our people become more vigilant and discerning when they go online. For example, the Digital Skills for Life framework, developed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, equips Singaporeans with skills to identify and respond to false and misleading content. The SG Digital Office also runs Gen AI workshops for seniors, which cover how to stay safe and smart online against AI-generated misinformation.