Fake News and Freedom of Speech in Singapore - Ms Kirsten Han

In May 2019, the People’s Action Party (PAP) government pushed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act through Parliament. Claiming that the country needs to be prepared to fight against the scourge of misinformation and disinformation, the PAP essentially gave its own ministers the power to become the arbiters of truth on the Internet. This new legislation further erodes freedom of speech in a context where civil liberties have already long been under threat. In the lead-up to SSEAC's annual ASEAN Forum, Kirsten Han sat down with Mr Kean Wong to discuss the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, and how this law could actually cause further harm to public trust and increase society’s vulnerability to “fake news”. Kirsten Han is a Singaporean freelance journalist and Editor-in-Chief of New Naratif, a platform for Southeast Asian journalism, research, art and community-building. Her work often revolves around the themes of social justice, human rights, politics and democracy, with bylines in publications like The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Asia Times. In 2019, she was awarded a Human Rights Press Award for her commentaries on the issue of “fake news” and freedom of expression in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Her essay, "The Silhouette of Oppression", was published by Epigram Books in 2019. Kirsten is also a founding member of We Believe in Second Chances, a group advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in Singapore. You can also follow Kirsten Han on Twitter @kixes