New $20m Singapore initiative to tackle deepfakes, misinformation

Detection tools will be designed to alert public, and a centre set up to hone expertise

- Lee Li Ying

Deepfakes circulating here could be watermarked in the future to alert viewers. Similarly, the same watermarking technology could be used to label trusted content.

This is among a new arsenal of detection tools Singapore is developing to tackle the rising scourge of deepfakes and misinformation. The tools will be designed under a new $20 million initiative to build online trust and safety.

Announcing the efforts in Parliament on Jan 10, Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo said Singapore needs to grow new capabilities to keep pace with scammers and online risks. The most worrisome is the misuse of deepfakes to create compelling pitches.

“Our digital way of life has exposed us to new risks. Cyber attacks, scams and harmful content pose a growing threat to our safety and security. As many MPs have noted, trust in society, so crucial for normal human interactions, could be undermined,” she said.

And even though the Government has taken bold steps to counter these risks, including enacting new laws, more of the right things could be done continuously, said Mrs Teo.

She was responding to a motion, of which she expressed support, filed by five members of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Communications and Information and five other MPs.

Titled Building An Inclusive And Safe Digital Society, the motion contains 13 recommendations to better safeguard online transactions, detect deepfakes and scams, and educate the whole of society to take part in digital activities safely.

The GPC members who filed the motion are chairwoman Tin Pei Ling, deputy chairman Alex Yam and members Sharael Taha, Hany Soh and Jessica Tan. The five People’s Action Party MPs involved in the motion are Mr Darryl David, Ms Mariam Jaafar, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Dr Wan Rizal.