Josephine Teo
Singapore
“The Government's risk-calibrated approach to data security in artificial intelligence (AI) systems was explained in a written reply, given on 9 January 2024, to related questions asked by Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Gerald Giam.”
“Access to frontier models is helpful for specific use cases, such as advanced research and cybersecurity. However, these form a small proportion of artificial intelligence (AI) demand. For most industry, Government and research uses, capable models are already available.”
“The Government tracks the development of technical standards for identifying artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, including watermarking and digital provenance approaches, as part of broader efforts to manage AI-related risks.”
“Upon receiving a valid report of intimate image abuse, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered by law to direct Online Service Providers (OSPs) to disable access by Singapore users to the specified harmful online material. This direction may be extended to cover identical copies found on the platform.”
“The Government is committed to keeping children safe online. We have announced plans to extend age assurance requirements to designated social media services, including requiring platforms to keep users under 13 off their services.”
“Under the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered to issue directions to platforms to remove specified harmful content, including intimate image abuse.”
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“Mr Speaker, I do not mean to be too technical, but to answer the Member's question, I will have to explain how the SMS service providers will interact with the SMS sender ID registry. Basically, the SMS service providers will be approached by a party to say that here is a message that I would like to send to these numbers in Singapore. The imposition that we are making on the SMS Service provider is to look at the header that is being requested by the customer to send it under and check against the registry. So, if a name already appears on the registry, then, regardless of who the customer is or where they are requesting this service from, as long as the name appears in the registry and this party's details do not match the other record in the registry in terms of their UEN, in terms of the path that they described, how they want to send the SMS across, then this business has to be turned away by the SMS service providers. So, the purpose of having the registry is to allow the SMS service providers to know whether this is a legitimate request and if these signs of legitimate requests are not matched, the requirement for the SMS service provider is to turn away the business. So, I hope that that provides an answer to the Member's question.”
“But they are necessary to better safeguard our people from scams. Equally importantly, they will help to uphold confidence in our digital journey.”
“We will strengthen public confidence in online transactions, raise awareness on good cyber-hygiene habits and bolster the digital resilience of our citizens, a call also made by Miss Cheng Li Hui. This is part of a whole-of-nation approach to safeguard Singaporeans against online threats, especially for the more vulnerable groups. As part of these efforts, IMDA launched the Digital for Life (DfL) Movement to galvanise the people, private and public sectors to provide Singaporeans with skills, tools and habits to navigate the digital domain safely and confidently. Many partners have kickstarted projects related to digital literacy and wellness. For example, the Lions Befrienders led a project, "Say No to Scams", where staff and volunteers teach seniors about staying safe from online scams and harms. This included measures, such as changing settings and installing apps, to increase security on smartphones. They are also working on a scam simulation app to help seniors identify scams. The DfL Movement will do its part to complement efforts by SPF, the National Crime Prevention Council and CSA. For example, the curriculum for seniors offered by the SG Digital Office has been updated to provide cybersecurity tips on topics, such as Digital Government services, e-payments and digital transactions. The Media Literacy Council (MLC) has also produced tip sheets on e-commerce scams, online impersonation scams and loan scams. These are available and translated into the vernacular languages for different audiences. All of us – banking institutions, telco operators, Government, businesses, individuals – have a role to play in the fight against scams. Across the ecosystem, making these changes may result in additional cost and some loss of convenience.”
“We should recognise that, even with best efforts, the network defences alone cannot block all scams. At every part of the chain, upstream and downstream, we are taking steps to reduce the risk. The measures in our communications infrastructure, for example, reduce the available avenues for scammers to reach victims. As mentioned by Minister Lawrence Wong, MCI is also working with MAS to consider the shared responsibilities of all the key stakeholders in the ecosystem. Taken together, we should be able to significantly reduce the risk of consumers falling victim to scams. Mr Speaker, I believe Mr Christopher de Souza has correctly characterised the problem of scams as one needing a multi-pronged response. Indeed, I would add that our approach is an ecosystem approach — what was described by Minister Lawrence Wong. This has multiple layers of defence – no single layer providing a complete answer, but all layers reinforcing each other to disrupt the scammers' plans. To Mr Sitoh Yih Pin's question, this will prevent some types of scams from recurring. But our best defence against new types of scams is a vigilant public. Ultimately, they determine the extent to which we can prevent scams. The public should, therefore, also arm themselves with knowledge on scams and how to protect themselves and their loved ones who might be less tech-savvy. There are tools, such as ScamShield, that can help to prevent some scam calls and SMSes. Minister of State Desmond Tan will say more on these later. At the same time, for our own long-term success as a nation, digital transformation must continue. Mr Alex Yam is rightly concerned about the impact of these scams on digital adoption.”
“With these stolen account details, scammers then logged into the victims’ bank accounts and stole the victims’ hard-earned monies via electronic transfers. Once again, the communication system has become the channel for scammers to get into contact with victims at scale and quickly. However, compared to the past, the scammers’ acts of deception were far more realistic this time. MAS has since stepped-up countermeasures. Meanwhile, IMDA has enhanced preventive measures in the communication infrastructure, and MHA has also strengthened public education efforts. In combination, these multi-layered measures are aimed at disrupting scam syndicates' modus operandi. However, we all know that every move that we make to derail the syndicates will be countered by more sophisticated moves by them. When carrying out their crimes, the scammers have no regard for borders nor the law; whenever we come up with new countermeasures, they will certainly also be cooking up new ways to continue with their operations. Even with new measures in place, everyone in the ecosystem must work together and raise our defences in all areas to prevent these criminals from succeeding easily. (In English): Mr Speaker, our additional safeguards underscore the importance of telcos in combating phishing and spoofing scams. As part of our efforts to continuously strengthen our defences, we will require telcos to put in place enhanced safeguards in our networks. This includes blocking scam calls, SMSes and websites. We also expect them to do more to help their customers avoid becoming victims. Scammers change methods and tactics to evade detection and our capabilities will need to, likewise, adapt. IMDA will work with the telcos to continuously strengthen their anti-scam capabilities.”
“They are generally safe, but we would not send very valuable items even using registered post. One other area that Dr Shahira Abdullah asked about was clickable links. Although her question was related to its use by MOH, the considerations are applicable to many other agencies and companies. Members will know that clickable links are everywhere. They appear on websites, in our emails and, of course, our SMS messages. You find them, too, in WhatsApp, Telegram and many other apps. They are used extensively because they are highly effective in getting people to take action. For example, using such links, millions of vaccination appointments were quickly and conveniently booked. Unfortunately, clickable links have also been used for criminal purposes. MAS has ensured that banks discontinue their use in SMS communications with customers. However, the removal of clickable links in many other settings will only erode convenience. More importantly, the loss of effective outreach in cases like vaccination registration could be detrimental to our people. A blanket removal must, therefore, be very carefully considered. Mr Speaker, please allow me to briefly summarise in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, some Members asked if the OCBC scam was a result of a cyber attack, or a breach of the bank's IT system which had enabled the criminals to carry out their crimes. This is not the case. In the series of scams, the criminals did not hack into the bank's IT system to steal money. What they did were classic acts of deception by misleading the victims into believing that they were communicating with the bank and, therefore, tricking the victims into providing their account details.”
“All organisations seeking to send SMSes using registered IDs to phone subscribers in Singapore must also have a valid Unique Enterprise Number (UEN). This will help Police with investigations in the event of a scam. Once these immediate measures are completed, the threat surface will be reduced. However, if an alphanumeric ID is not placed by an organisation into the registry, it cannot be protected. Observers have also pointed out that scammers can still use similar-looking alphanumeric IDs that are not in the registry, to trick potential victims. To further close these gaps, we will consider requiring all users of alphanumeric IDs to be registered. Scammers will then not be able to send SMS using alphanumeric IDs except by joining the registry. This protects legitimate senders. It will also provide more assurance to receivers of SMS messages that an alphanumeric ID indicates a registered source. These further measures will take time to implement and come at a cost, including to businesses. Businesses that choose not to register alphanumeric IDs will have their SMS messages appear only with their telephone number. Their customers can then choose to save the number in their own contact list to help them recognise future messages. Given the implications, IMDA will study this matter carefully before deciding whether or not to mandate the registration of all alphanumeric IDs. At the same time, organisations should rethink how they use SMS to communicate with their customers. As I have mentioned earlier, SMS was never meant for secure communications. Where the message contains or will lead to the transmission of sensitive, confidential information or high value transactions, there should be more restraint. It is like our postal services.”
“All handphones, whether smart or not, can receive SMS. But the SMS system was never designed for secure communications. Together with its widespread use, this makes it an attractive channel for scammers to reach potential victims. For example, legitimate senders can use an alphanumeric ID to make themselves more easily known to customers. Instead of a string of numbers, customers receive an SMS from a sender identified as, say, "ABC company". However, this alphanumeric ID is not automatically protected as part of the SMS protocol. This means, unfortunately, that a scammer can use the same alphanumeric ID "ABC Company" and enter the message thread between the legitimate business sender and its customer. Members know by now this was what happened in the OCBC scams. As a result, the victims did not even realise they were communicating with the scammer, rather than OCBC itself. Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Melvin Yong asked how SMS could be made safer. The gap I described above had, in fact, been identified by MAS and IMDA. Last year, the agencies started a pilot for SMS Sender ID protection. An organisation can register the alphanumeric ID that they use, thus reducing the risk of an illegitimate sender spoofing the same alphanumeric ID and having the message appear within the same message thread. MAS has decided that all major retail banks must sign up to register the alphanumeric IDs they use to communicate with their customers. The Government has also committed that all its agencies will do likewise. In addition, IMDA will require SMS service providers and telcos to check SMS senders against the registry. SMSes that try to spoof registered IDs will thus not be delivered, as the sender details would not match registry records.”
“They include, for example, incoming overseas calls that resemble phone numbers of our local Government agencies or emergency services. Overseas scam callers may also add a prefix "65", without the "+" prefix, to give the impression that they are calling from within Singapore. Since April 2020, telcos have also added the “+” prefix for all incoming overseas calls, to help alert their customers. Many scam calls were averted through such measures. But more is needed. Our telcos plan to incorporate additional analytics to block more of these suspected scam calls. We estimate that up to 55 million calls will be blocked each month. Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Assoc Prof Jamus Lim asked about the Do Not Call (DNC) registry. The DNC registry was not designed to prevent scam messages. Instead, it was created to allow individuals to opt out of receiving unsolicited telemarketing messages or calls. Scammers will, of course, not take the trouble to check this registry before conducting their illegal activities. Mr Speaker, the extent of call blocking needed shows just how persistent scammers are in reaching potential victims. Even if our telcos can block millions of incoming overseas calls, we must not be lulled into a false sense of security. Moreover, as each avenue becomes harder to break through, scammers turn to other channels. In the case of the OCBC scams, the SMS channel was exploited. To better understand how it happened, it is useful, firstly, to recognise that SMS is an old technology. For many Singaporeans, it is more common these days to communicate with each other using messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. Nevertheless, SMS is still being used by many organisations because it is a cheap and convenient way to reach many customers.”
“As mentioned by Minister Wong earlier, the banks will be enhancing their fraud surveillance systems. Government agencies will also explore the use of artificial intelligence to more quickly identify and block scam websites. In addition, the National Crime Prevention Council will start a WhatsApp channel to crowdsource from the public, information on scam websites and messages. To ensure processes are in place for proper follow-up, this channel will be launched by the third quarter of this year. Website blocking is part of the suite of upstream measures to disrupt the scammers’ plans. But before they are lured to a scam website, victims may have been contacted by phone or SMS. Sometimes, the scammers get what they want without even leading the victim to a scam website. Members will be familiar with scam callers impersonating officials from China. These scams started several years ago. During COVID-19 times, the scam callers switched their masquerades, pretending to be the Police or other trusted organisations, such as MOH. Their messages were adapted to exploit concerns about vaccination or other COVID-19-related measures. These calls deploy what is known as "social engineering" techniques to cause fear and panic in their victims, using topical concerns that scammers know people are worried about. As most of these calls come from overseas, scammers will often seek to appear more credible by spoofing local numbers. An important set of upstream measures, therefore, involves blocking these suspicious calls. Every month, the telcos block around 15 million, or one in seven of all incoming overseas calls to Singapore. We expect the number of scam calls to rise, given the changing tactics of scammers to increase their reach.”
“The victim is then tricked into surrendering their credentials or personal information. In many cases, the act of surrendering credentials and personal information takes place on a scam website, something designed to look like the real website of a legitimate organisation. Compared to asking for such information by phone or SMS, no direct human interactions are required since victims themselves enter their details on a scam website. This allows such scams to be processed with greater scale and speed. And this is why much of our upstream measures have focused on blocking scam websites. It is a key part of disrupting the scammers’ plans. On any given day, more than 90% of Singaporeans go online for various activities. SPF and IMDA work closely with Internet Service Providers to block scam websites. When consumers are led by scammers to these websites, they will be alerted to be vigilant. In 2020, we blocked about 500 suspected scam websites. By 2021, the net had been cast much more widely and 12,000 such websites were blocked. Countless more victims would have been otherwise scammed. In fact, we have the capacity to block many more suspicious websites. However, this does not mean that they will completely disappear from our screens. This is because scammers react quickly and dynamically to such blocks. In the OCBC case, more than 350 scam websites have been blocked. At the peak, we blocked around 52 sites in a single day or one every 30 minutes. But the scammers were quick to create new websites over the course of their campaign. This pattern of behaviour will persist. Nonetheless, website blocking remains important. We will continue to strengthen detection and reporting mechanisms to be more responsive.”
“Because the scammer was in possession of items that only real customers were expected to have. In the physical world, the scammer’s pressure tactics to hand over the IC and key might have raised an alarm. Likewise, for the bank, branch managers might have noticed and made gentle enquiries as to the hurried manner in which the deposit boxes were emptied out. But in the digital world, where we have become so used to instant communications and transactions, our guard is down. The OCBC scam was, therefore, not a result of a cyber attack or a breach of cybersecurity, which, typically, involves hacking or breaking into a system to steal information or assets. Instead, it was a classic case of deception, executed with speed and repeated at scale. The use of SMS to reach potential victims is, unfortunately, becoming even more common and sophisticated. But it is not the only channel. Scammers have used it together with phone calls and emails to phish for information or spoof legitimate organisations. In other words, scammers are taking advantage of our communications infrastructure to reach even more potential victims, faster. To combat phishing and spoofing by scammers, we should disrupt as many parts of their modus operandi as possible. Apart from enhanced safeguards in the banking system to prevent scams from easily succeeding, upstream measures are also needed to disrupt scammers’ reach to potential victims. Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Christopher de Souza are, therefore, right to ask how we can strengthen our defences through our telco networks. It is useful to first step through how a phishing and spoofing scam is usually carried out. Typically, the scammer starts by contacting the victim, through phone calls or SMS.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, scams have been around a long time. However, technology has increasingly enabled scammers to operate at scale across the globe and their tactics have become more sophisticated by the year. Yet, while the tactics have changed, at its heart, scammers use the tried-and-tested formula of exploiting their victims’ fears and hopes. Scammers do not respect geographical boundaries, seeking out victims wherever they can. These scams would often have originated abroad. Minister Lawrence Wong has spoken about the enhanced protections in our banking system. I will focus on the upstream measures – how we can intervene through our communications infrastructure to fight scams. Minister of State Desmond Tan will speak later about enforcement as well as the continuing, crucial efforts in public education. But, first, let me assure Members that the OCBC scams were not the result of a cyber attack or weaknesses in cybersecurity. This addresses questions by Mr Alex Yam regarding CSA’s assessment and Assoc Prof Jamus Lim on whether financial institutions met cybersecurity standards. If I could use an analogy in the physical world, the scammers in this case did not manufacture a special key or special keys to break into the bank premises and to steal from the customers’ deposit boxes. Instead, they stood in front of the bank and tricked customers into handing over their identity cards (IC) and keys. They then pretended to the bank teller that they were the real customers, accessed the deposit boxes and cleared them out quickly. Why did the victims fall prey? Because the scammer looked real by wearing the correct uniform and name tag bearing the bank’s logo. Why did the bank fall prey?”
“You and I are beneficiaries of that. We do not have to pay to get news, but we will choose where we spend our time, in order to get trusted news. And that is what is the most important of all and that is why our local mainstream media deserve to be supported.”
“Mr Speaker, it is not me that feel that our local mainstream media can be trusted. This is the readers voting with their hands when they swipe their mobile phones on the screen and giving that demonstration of confidence in our local mainstream media through the reach and engagement data that is publicly available. It is not me claiming that the local mainstream media is trusted. They are asked these questions through surveys conducted by institutions that have good standing; I mentioned the Reuters Institute. They did not give this response to a question that I put to them; this is an independent survey done by a respected organisation. So, the facts speak for themselves and it is not for us to speculate why. But I think what Assoc Prof Jamus Lim is trying to say is that, if they trust these local mainstream media so much, why are they not buying or paying for subscription? And if they were doing so, then the local mainstream media would not have to turn to the Government for funding support. I thought that in my earlier responses to Members' questions, I had made it quite clear that this situation for print media companies is not unique to SMT. It is worldwide, whether it is in the US with the New York Times, or in the UK with The Guardian. It is very hard to translate eyeballs into dollars. And without advertising revenue, these media outlets and companies will be loss-making. The Guardian's example is a very stark one. And the figures I quoted, since 1998, they have been trying to be in the black. They managed to only in 2019, after two decades of transformation. And even then, last year, they had to cut people, 12% of the workforce. So, it is not just your ability to reach audiences. The audiences can get news content free of charge almost anywhere.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Hany Soh for her very well-intended and wise suggestion to SMT. We will be more than happy to convey it. I think, looking at the leadership of SMT all the way from its Chairman to its CEO and its senior team, I have no doubt that they are open to all kinds of talent, whether they are men or women, and they will do everything they can to hold as many of them in this organisation and help to propel its forward transformation.”
“Mr Speaker, firstly, the Government has committed to set aside up to $180 million dollars annually over the next five years. And I want to emphasise this: up to $180 million dollars. What is actually going to be disbursed will depend on the specific investments that SMT makes, through their progress updates to MCI, whether we are satisfied that these are the right things to do and that they will produce or they have the likelihood of producing good results. So, it is up to $180 million annually and, therefore, up to $900 million over five years. I am actually not so surprised that Mr Pritam Singh put this question up. And if I may, Mr Pritam Singh's question, again asking about influence on editors, journalist, is too predictable, if I may put it this way. His question seems to suggest that he does not trust the journalists and our mainstream media to be objective in reporting, to apply their minds and to be discerning or to have a sense of responsibility to truthful reporting for the public. I hope I am wrong in thinking that this is what Mr Pritam Singh is suggesting, but that is what came to mind when he spoke those words. Regardless of what I say or what Mr Pritam Singh may suggest, the true test is whether the public trusts the media and how they exercise their choice on a day-to-day basis in consuming news media, when so many alternatives are available to them at zero cost. And, fortunately for us, for all of us, our local mainstream media are trusted by people and we have every reason to keep it so.”
“It is the main reason that they will stay on, invest their time and effort to produce quality journalism. And the only way we can do so is if the digital transformation is not a start-stop process, not a half-hearted process, but one that is taken with great commitment and passion. This is what energises them and this is what makes them want to stay. At this present moment, as it turns out, there is intense competition for talent. So, SMT and, actually, all media companies, are working very hard to keep as many talent as possible. Against this backdrop, it would be most unwise if SMT or any other media company were to be perceived by their employees of unfair treatment. It is in their own interest to ensure that they paint a realistic vision of the future and they commit the resources to help their talent grow and develop along with the organisation's transformation. So, I have confidence in SMT that they are minded to look after their people because they are committed to the public to provide quality journalism, which cannot be achieved without the talent within their vault.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Alex Yam for both his questions. On his question about access to print, both the Government and SMT are very mindful that significant segments of our population rely on print to read about the daily happenings in Singapore and to get a perspective of the issues that are of importance to us. So, retaining the availability of print will remain a priority for quite a while, I believe. The key issue is how SMT can do this in a way that is still efficient and does not drain its resources unnecessarily. Some of the moves that they have taken are practical and sensible ones, such as, assessing whether it makes sense for them to continue to have two evening papers, Shin Min Daily News and Lianhe Wanbao. And after a careful strategic review, looking at the reach of both evening papers and satisfying their own desire to ensure that the evening papers continue to reach a wide enough audience, decided that they will cease the publication of Lianhe Wanbao by focusing on Shin Min instead. These kinds of decisions, I think, will continue to be taken, if necessary. But SMT as well as the Government are committed to ensuring that even those who access news mainly through print will be able to do so on a continued basis. So, I can give Mr Alex Yam that assurance. Secondly, Mr Alex Yam has asked a very important question with regard to fair treatment of the staff of SPH and also how the Government funding will seek to ensure that. The best thing I think we can do to retain talents within SMT is to provide them with the support to make that transformation. Talents everywhere, including journalistic talents in media companies, want to know that they have a future.”
“Mr Alex Yam asked how the Ministry will ensure editorial independence continues to be upheld in the newsrooms. SMT has exercised editorial independence since its establishment in 1984 as Singapore Press Holdings. Funding support does not change that, as is the case with Mediacorp since 2011. In fact, the 2021 edition of the Reuters Institute Digital News Report indicated that 79% of respondents expressed trust in CNA. Is such a high level of trust attainable without objective and balanced reporting? The same report indicated that The Straits Times, one of SMT's flagship products, enjoyed a similarly high level of trust among 77% of respondents. Would SMT wish to erode this foundation? If nobody is reading The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian or Tamil Murasu, if nobody is viewing Channel 8, Suria, Vasantham or CNA, there is no use in funding SMT or Mediacorp. It is precisely because people are reading, viewing and hearing our mainstream media that they deserve to be supported. It is because the public see them as trusted sources of news that we must do all we can to keep them as viable propositions. As can be seen also through the KPIs set by MCI, the Government's key interest is to ensure the reach of SMT's products. No one gains if these products lack credibility and are ignored by audiences. On the contrary, we are funding them precisely because they do have readers who trust them. Mr Speaker, to conclude, the coming years will be an exciting period as we expect a major digital transformation of our local news media landscape. MCI will work closely with SMT to ensure that our local news media upholds quality journalism delivered in innovative and engaging ways.”
“Prior to its restructuring, Singapore Press Holdings Limited had invested almost $50 million annually in technology and digital talent. This has yielded some success but, from the kind of investments we see elsewhere, they clearly need to do more to accelerate the newsrooms’ transformation. The steep decline of print media and, correspondingly, the migration to the digital space, has brought SMT to an inflection point. It will tap on Government funding to make essential investments that move it decisively into the digital age. MCI has, therefore, set aside funding support of up to $180 million annually, over the next five years. This will provide SMT with more capital to invest in the future while ensuring that they are able to sustain their current operations during this critical transition period. In its initial years, we expect SMT to spend approximately 40% of the funding on tech investments and digital talent. The remainder will be spent on newsroom capability building and training, in particular, the vernacular newsrooms. Ms Tin Pei Ling and Ms Jessica Tan asked about accountability measures. With such a significant amount of public funding, MCI will monitor SMT's performance closely through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that track total reach and engagement of SMT’s products, with a focus on their digital platforms; specific reach indicators for vernacular groups and youths; and resilience of SMT’s flagship products to minimise downtime and disruption. SMT is required to provide progress update reports to MCI on a half-yearly basis. This allows MCI to track their progress and for the Government to help achieve its desired outcomes when necessary. We will also review the funding quantum after the first five years, based on the progress that SMT has made.”
“And as a multiracial, multilingual country, we are especially prone to the cultural, social and even political influence that countries like China and India can continue to exert abroad. As open as we must remain to the world, and as welcoming as we are to global media outlets broadcasting and reporting out of Singapore, we must also have Singaporeans reporting on the world from the Singaporean perspective. A Singaporean reporting on China, for example, would afford us a lens very different from an American or a European doing so. Thus, the growth of SMT’s overseas bureaus is an important area of capability development we want to support. Mr Speaker, the direction that SMT is charting out is promising, but it will require significant investments over a period of time. During the transition, it will likely be loss-making. In the UK, The Guardian, which has a highly successful digital subscription model with almost a million paying supporters, has lost millions of dollars since 1998. It only returned to the black in 2019, after years of persistent transformation efforts. Yet, they still had to cut 12% of their workforce in 2020 to stay afloat. The Government is ready to put support behind SMT’s transformation. We are committed to safeguarding the information space for our citizens. Government funding of news media is commonplace in many countries and has increased in some cases during COVID-19. This underscores the public good that trusted journalism provides in a complex environment. In 2020, the French government introduced a subsidy package of over €480 million to support its news media in weathering COVID-19 losses and moving to digital platforms. In the same year, Norway and Sweden rendered €43 million and €65 million of aid respectively to their press.”
“Even if they were to be unviable business propositions – which they are not – we believe it is in the public interest to do all we can to preserve and develop all the vernacular outlets in both SMT as well as Mediacorp. Government funding for SMT will go towards sustaining vernacular newsrooms and developing new content formats like videos and podcasts, to reach the younger generations. In addition, support from the community is essential to achieve the shared goal of safeguarding our culture and heritage. In this regard, SMT will be partnering clan associations, community groups and schools to provide students with greater access to its vernacular products. Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about thought leadership content. With Singapore’s position as a global hub, SMT is well-placed to provide deep domain knowledge about the region, with a Singapore voice. To boost its capabilities, SMT will expand its foreign bureaus, host more events and forums and establish more partnerships to build their international audience. Today, a third of The Straits Times’ readers come from overseas. Zaobao’s websites see around seven million unique visitors monthly, more than half of which are from outside Singapore. The Chinese Media Group will be partnering Berita Harian, Tamil Murasu, as well as other media outlets in the region to promote mother tongue language media to a wider audience. As much as the media is coming under challenge throughout the world, we must be mindful that the major powers are waging a constant battle for hearts and minds worldwide – including our hearts and minds in Singapore. As a small country, we are especially prone to influence campaigns – overt and covert.”
“To Ms Hany Soh’s question about external collaborations, SPH Media Academy’s immediate focus will be on equipping its own journalists with digital skills and multimedia capabilities. We believe there will be good areas of synergy with the Singapore Media Academy. We will work with Mediacorp and SMT, along with our Institutes of Higher Learning, to promote collaborative efforts. In the long term, SMT can look into extending its programmes to the larger media industry in Singapore and journalists around the region. The newsrooms will also keep pace with the increasingly complex information landscape. SMT will set up a fact-checking service to debunk fake news and launch media awareness and financial literacy programmes for the public. These initiatives complement the newsrooms’ core strengths, educating readers on identifying misinformation and scams, which are key challenges in today's digital society. Mr Sharael Taha asked about the viability, relevance and growing the reach of vernacular media. Although vernacular readership is smaller and, therefore, much more challenging to independently sustain, it is critical to provide credible news products that serve our multiracial society. Mr Speaker, in the 1980s, it was founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who mooted the idea for the vernacular press to merge with the English press. He did so because he foresaw that the vernacular press would inevitably come under pressure as English became the language of business, Government and education. SPH was thus established in 1984 to preserve the Chinese and Malay media. If we had allowed our vernacular media to wither, Singapore would have been the poorer for it and we would have lost our souls.”
“The digital pivot of SMT will be key to growing its reach with the young and old, and even with overseas audiences. More will need to be done. In terms of user experience, digital content must be delivered swiftly, websites must be intuitively designed, applications must allow for personalisation. In the newsroom, content management resources, data analytics and investments into artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools can help newsrooms push out news quickly, accurately and effectively. Continual evolution of content forms will also be key. As with other major publications today, SMT must package complex information in a variety of ways – texts, videos, podcasts and interactive infographics. This is especially important for younger audiences, who demand engaging news they can consume on-the-go. At the backend, infrastructure will have to be robust enough to support the digital transition. With increasing digital viewership, SMT will also have to ensure resilience and reliability in its news provision. Ms Hany Soh rightly asked about talent development. In today’s landscape, the skills required of journalists have changed dramatically. For example, beyond covering announcements, journalists have to be data-literate. They need to know when, where and how to reach their digital audiences so that critical news is not buried under masses of information on social media. As part of the transformation, the new SPH Media Academy will update the newsroom’s training programmes for the digital age. They will also partner internationally renowned institutions like the Poynter Institute and the Reuters Institute at Oxford University. They will offer programmes and fellowships to local journalists.”
“In 2019, German publisher Axel Springer committed €100 million in investments for digital growth projects at two of its papers. This is on top of its IT development projects supporting its digital business model, which amounted to another €100 million. The New York Times, prioritising its digital growth, has seen its product development costs increase over 25% year-on-year. In 2020, this exceeded US$130 million. The high costs to achieve success online, even for those who already have significant readership, are testament to the challenging industry conditions. As an open, cosmopolitan city-state, we consume varied perspectives from around the world. Nonetheless, preserving our local news media remains critical. Our local news media provide a vital Singaporean lens through which citizens can make sense of global events. It is an essential public good in our multiracial, multi-religious society. In discharging this role, SMT now produces six daily newspapers in four languages. Few of its competitors do the same. To achieve its mission, SMT must do three things: first, make long-term investments in the capability development of technology and talent; second, sustain and develop our vernacular news media; and third, position itself as a regional thought leader. Ms Jessica Tan and Ms Hany Soh asked about maintaining SMT’s relevance amidst digital disruption, especially for younger audiences. It is vital to understand the media consumption habits of our digital native audiences. Based on an MCI survey, around 65% of respondents access SMT’s digital content frequently in 2020. This is a steep jump from about 40% a year before. In contrast, hardcopy reach declined from about 40% to 30% over the same period, a single year.”
“I will also provide more information for written Question No 50 in yesterday's Order Paper, which was filed by Miss Cheryl Chan. In May last year, Singapore Press Holdings Limited announced the restructuring of its media business to a not-for-profit entity. The restructuring process is complete and the new SPH Media Trust, or SMT, shared its plans with the public about two weeks ago. I thank Members for their questions. My reply is organised around three themes. First, the need for Government support for SMT’s transformation; second, how transformation preserves trusted media for our citizens and serves the larger public interest; and third, how the Government will maintain accountability. Ms Tin Pei Ling and Miss Cheryl Chan asked about the Government’s plans to support SMT. MCI has worked closely with SMT to understand the challenges they face. In fact, readership and trust in SMT’s journalism continue to be high. Based on a survey last year, SMT’s weekly reach extends to almost 75% of Singaporeans. Three in four Singaporeans trust SMT to produce reliable news and content. However, the global digital shift has severely disrupted print business models. Traditionally, they have relied heavily on advertising revenue to support quality journalism. But today, the proliferation of free news aggregators and user-generated content compete with newsrooms for eyeballs and, correspondingly, advertisers. Globally, print advertising revenue is declining 7% year-on-year. Although digital advertising revenue has increased, a large share of it goes to Big Tech platforms like Google and Facebook, or Meta, as it is now known. On top of the cost of producing quality content, newsrooms must also invest in reaching audiences in a crowded digital space.”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your permission to address Question Nos 8 to 14, and for all related supplementary questions to be taken thereafter?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your permission, also on behalf of Minister Lawrence Wong, to take Question Nos 1 to 5 during our Ministerial Statements to be delivered later in the Sitting?”
“As MCI stated in Parliament on 10 May 2021, the Government is committed to support SPH Media Trust in its digital transformation, in areas like digital innovation and capability development. MCI will provide a more detailed update to Parliament shortly.”
“These efforts are crucial in galvanising public support for the anti-drug cause and in ensuring that the public is vigilant against online content relating to illegal drugs.”
“Singapore adopts a strict policy of zero tolerance towards illegal drugs and deals with the drug problem through a comprehensive range of measures. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, it is an offence for persons to traffic in a controlled drug. It is also an offence for persons to import into or export from Singapore controlled drugs without authorisation. Persons who facilitate the sale or importation of controlled drugs via the Internet or other digital means may be liable for such offences. When the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is alerted to websites that make illegal drugs easy to acquire in Singapore or promote illegal drug use, it will direct Internet Service Providers to block access to such websites under the Internet Code of Practice (ICOP). Social media platforms, generally, also have policies prohibiting the sale or promotion of illegal drugs. Users of those platforms may report such problematic content to the platform owner for review. As part of Singapore's holistic drug control strategy, Government efforts to prevent access to illegal drug content are complemented by public education and awareness. Preventive drug education (PDE) remains the first line of defence in the Central Narcotics Bureau's (CNB) approach to enhance public awareness of the harms of drugs and to encourage a drug-free lifestyle. CNB has tailored PDE programmes for schools as well as those in positions of influence like parents, counsellors, educators, youth advocates and National Service commanders. They also receive informational toolkits to help them provide guidance or peer support to the youths. CNB also promotes anti-drug advocacy by like-minded individuals and community organisations.”
“Over 11,000 low-income households have been supported with subsidised broadband since IMDA's Home Access 3.0 programme was launched in April 2020. Since then, the application process has been streamlined to remove the need for applicants to submit supporting documents such as copies of applicants' NRIC and income. Applications can be made virtually or via hardcopy application forms. In addition, all applicants may check their application and approval status on the online application platform, which requires a SingPass login. All successful applicants are also provided with hardcopy approval letters as an added form of approval confirmation. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) require documentation of approval to verify successful applications before activating broadband services. This information is available to ISPs through IMDA's online system. Of the two participating ISPs, one, MyRepublic, offers applicants the option of activating the broadband service remotely by calling a hotline. The other ISP, M1, required successful applicants to present a hard copy letter of approval at their stores. This has since been removed and M1 will also be providing call-in as an additional channel for successful applicants to activate their services from March 2022.”
“In my earlier reply, I have also said that IMDA had in the last five years deemed six other publications to be objectionable, for denigrating various religious communities. None of them were about politics either. They either contained offensive and prejudicial content about other religions or espoused polemical religious teachings which were likely to cause ill will and hatred amongst the different religious groups in Singapore. "Red Lines" is objectionable for similar reasons.”
“In my earlier reply, I have also said that IMDA had in the last five years deemed six other publications to be objectionable, for denigrating various religious communities. None of them were about politics either. They either contained offensive and prejudicial comments about other religions or espoused polemical religious teachings which were likely to cause ill will and hatred amongst the different religious groups in Singapore. "Red Lines" is objectionable for similar reasons. [Please refer to “Considerations for Classifying 'Red Lines: Political Cartoons and the Struggle Against Censorship' as Objectionable under Undesirable Publications Act”, Official Report, 12 January 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 46, Oral Answers to Questions section.] [(proc text) Written statement by Mrs Josephine Teo circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)] I wish to make the following factual clarification to the reply given during Question Time at the Sitting on 12 January 2022. My reply should read as follows:”
“After POFMA took effect in October 2019, the POFMA Office received 22 pieces of public feedback and enquiries in 2019, 435 in 2020, and 345 in 2021. The vast majority of alleged falsehoods reported by the public included content that was not actionable as “false statements of fact” under POFMA, such as opinions and criticisms. Seven POFMA directions were issued regarding falsehoods that had been reported by a total of nine pieces of public feedback to the POFMA Office.”
“Our schools conduct cyber wellness lessons where students learn to identify and avoid inappropriate online content. Under Digital for Life (DfL), a national movement to help all Singaporeans embrace digitalisation, the Media Literacy Council (MLC) works with partners to promote safe and responsible online behaviour through resources and public education activities. In July 2021, MCI launched the Sunlight Alliance for Action (AfA) to tackle online harms, especially those targeted at women and girls. The AfA brings together partners from the people, public and private (3P) sectors to drive ground-up digital safety initiatives. These collective efforts help to build a well-informed and discerning citizenry that can guard against online harms.”
“OnlyFans is a content subscription service based overseas that allows content creators to post content and receive payment directly from their followers. Its terms of service require users to be at least 18 years old and prohibit creators from posting egregious content, such as revenge porn. Members of the public may report suspected violations of the terms of service directly to the platform. Under Singapore’s Penal Code, it is illegal to transmit any obscene material by electronic means. It is also illegal to participate in or receive profits from any business where obscene materials are transmitted by electronic means or advertise the sale of obscene materials. Following a police report and subsequent investigation by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), a 22-year-old was arrested in December 2021 for transmitting obscene materials via OnlyFans. Members of the public who are aware of persons engaging in such activities can similarly lodge a police report. Not all content posted on OnlyFans is objectionable, but we must ensure that such content creation platforms do not expose Singaporeans to the risk of exploitation and abuse, especially our youth. The Government closely monitors developments in this regard and will take regulatory action where appropriate. Realistically, however, it will not be possible to block all objectionable or obscene content on the internet. That is why we must look beyond banning and take a holistic approach to deal with such content. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) requires Internet Service Providers to offer optional residential and mobile Internet filtering services to help parents ensure that children have safe access to the Internet.”
“Mr Speaker, I apologise for keeping my mask on earlier, I have obviously become so used to it. Mr Zhulkarnain's questions are very important and let me address the first part of it first and I think Minister Masagos would probably like to supplement. Social media platforms have terms of service, community standards as well as feedback mechanisms for users to flag or report inappropriate content. IMDA certainly expects them to adhere to their very own standards strictly. But in addition, when IMDA is alerted to the existence of websites that glorify, insight or endorse ethnic, racial or religious hatred, strife or intolerance, it may deem such content as prohibited material under the Broadcasting Act's Internet Code of Practice. Local content providers can be required to take down the content. IMDA can also direct Internet service providers in Singapore to block access to such websites. In 2020, not so long ago, there was in fact a Facebook post by the NUS Atheist Society that was highly offensive to both Muslims and Christians. IMDA assessed that the post contains prohibited content on the grounds of national harmony and is in the clear breach of the Internet Code of Practice. IMDA issued a request to Facebook to remove the post and Facebook subsequently blocked it from access by users in Singapore. And so, that stand is very clear and also very consistent. To Mr Zhulkarnain's other question regarding the role of MUIS. IMDA seeks the views of relevant agencies before making its decision on content that could affect religious harmony, and this is inclusive of content that may compare different religions or within the same religion, have different views. In the case of "Red Lines" and other content related to Islam, IMDA did and continues to seek the views of MUIS.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Tin for her supplementary question. Political cartoons are not, in themselves, the problem. Some are already in circulation. It is very clear that "Red Lines" was disallowed for its offensive religious content. I have spoken about it, Minister Masagos has further elaborated on why these are of great concern in our multicultural, multi-religious context. In my earlier reply, I have also said that IMDA had, in the last five years, deemed six other publications to be objectionable, for denigrating various religious communities. None of them were about politics either. They either contained offensive and prejudicial comments about other religions or espoused polemical religious teachings which were likely to cause ill will and hatred amongst the different religious groups in Singapore. "Red Lines" is objectionable for similar reasons. [Please refer to “Clarification by Minister for Communications and Information”, Official Report, 12 January 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 46, Correction by Written Statement section.]”
“There are multiple objectionable images throughout the book which are racially and religiously offensive. Singapore’s position on such content is well-known. The Singapore distributor of "Red Lines" itself, Alkem Company, had concerns about some of the book’s images being objectionable when they first approached IMDA. In response to IMDA’s public explanation of its reasons for assessing "Red Lines" to be objectionable and unsuitable for distribution in Singapore, the authors Dr Cherian George and Mr Sonny Liew issued a public statement in which they expressed the view that "the regulator has opted for additional caution". Those were their words: "the regulator has opted for additional caution". It should be noted, however, that even with such caution, our society is not free from the frictions that strain racial and religious harmony. At this point, Alkem and the authors have not confirmed their specific plans on the treatment of the offensive content. If and when they do so, they can approach IMDA to assess the suitability of a revised version of "Red Lines" for distribution in Singapore. To ensure that publications which have been deemed objectionable are not distributed in Singapore, IMDA maintains a database of these publications which importers and book distributors can refer to. It is an offence for any person to import, sell, distribute, make or reproduce an objectionable publication. The penalty is a fine not exceeding $5,000 or jail not exceeding 12 months or both.”
“Thank you. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has assessed the publication "Red Lines: Political Cartoons and the Struggle Against Censorship" to be objectionable under the Undesirable Publications Act (UPA) as the book contains images that denigrate religions, including the reproduction of Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. The Government has made very clear its views on the Charlie Hebdo cartoons and on offensive images which denigrate religions and religious figures. We do not allow any religious group to be insulted or attacked, because hate speech and offensive content can easily be normalised and lead to deep social divides if left unchecked. To preserve racial and religious harmony in Singapore, we take a firm stance on such content regardless of their purpose of publication. In the last five years, IMDA has assessed six other publications, besides "Red Lines", to be objectionable for denigrating various religious communities. These publications were assessed to be likely to cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups and are thus not allowed for distribution in Singapore. For example, in 2020, IMDA deemed the book "Understanding the Evil of Innovation" objectionable as the book contained strong denigratory references towards Judaism and Christianity. Removal of the offensive content will not automatically lead to these publications being allowed for distribution. Revised versions would have to be re-assessed holistically and none of the publishers have sought to do so. "Red Lines" was launched in the United States of America on 31 August 2021, before IMDA took a decision on its suitability for distribution in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your permission to address Question Nos 3 and 4 and for Minister Masagos to address Question No 5, and for all related supplementary questions to be taken thereafter?”
“New technologies such as the Metaverse and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are at a nascent stage of development, especially in terms of their translation to real or physical world applications. Alongside related technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, blockchain and decentralised financing, the Metaverse and NFTs present potential for people and businesses to extend their activities and asset ownership into the virtual world. As these technologies are still at relatively early stages of application, it remains to be seen how they will be structured and organised. The Government is closely studying their characteristics and attendant implications and risks. For example, the immersive, interactive, decentralised or anonymity elements of these technologies have the potential to be harnessed to either strengthen or pose risks to online safety, consumer protection, privacy and protection of intellectual property. Similar to the physical world, the Government will seek to balance between promoting economic vitality, preserving social stability and protecting public security in the digital domain. International coordination of regulatory approaches to the Metaverse and associated technologies will also be crucial, given the borderless nature of these technologies. Beyond Government intervention, industry players and individual users must also play their part by participating responsibly in the Metaverse and exercising caution in dealing with NFTs and digital assets, even as they seek to seize opportunities.”
“In 2021 alone, 53 companies, including MNCs like Amazon, PayPal and Microsoft, and local unicorns like Razer and Shopee, have come on board with concrete measures to support women, such as coaching and mentorship programmes, as well as a commitment to fair hiring practices. These companies also contribute to widening our women talent pipeline through targeted outreach initiatives like Microsoft’s SG Codess platform for University students, and the DigiGirlz programme for Secondary school students, which help to nurture dreams of a future in tech from a younger age. More than 120,000 people have been reached through our SG Women in Tech programmes. We will continue to review them, taking into consideration feedback raised at last year’s Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development, to further support our women’s career aspirations and help them fulfil their full potential. We will also ensure that opportunities in the tech industry remain open to wome and nurture women talent to be part of our digital economy.”
“Singapore is believed to have one of the highest proportions of women in the tech workforce globally. While no established international comparisons exist, according to a report published by the Boston Consulting Group and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in 2020, women comprise 41% of our tech workforce, in contrast with the global average of 28%. In terms of women’s participation on boards of tech companies, the Council for Board Diversity reports that among those listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX), the proportion has increased slightly from 12% in 2019 to 14% in June 2021. The Government is committed to creating more opportunities for women in tech. Since 2019, IMDA has been working with industry and community partners under the SG Women in Tech movement. Most recently, we partnered Dell Technologies to launch the MentorConnect programme, which provides a platform for women to network and be mentored by industry leaders. IMDA has also partnered with the Singapore Computer Society on the SG100 Women in Tech List in 2020 and 2021, to profile women from diverse backgrounds and ages who are successful in tech-related careers. These role models inspire, motivate and mentor younger women in the industry, and help to challenge the false perception that men are more suited for careers in tech. Beyond leadership opportunities, we also aim to transform mindsets and practices across the industry to ensure that women have equal access to the full range of opportunities in tech. Last year, we launched the SG Women in Tech Corporate Pledge initiative, which calls on companies to create better support systems for women in the workplace, especially for younger women pursuing a career in tech.”
“CSA has consistently advocated that the best defence against cyberattacks is a population that is vigilant and adopts good cyber practices. Businesses and organisations are responsible for their own cybersecurity and must take action to strengthen their posture. This includes regularly updating their software and systems, and practising incident response and business continuity plans to ensure that employees are well-prepared when incidents happen. Individuals should practise good cyber hygiene and stay vigilant against phishing links. We must all strengthen our defences to participate in the digital domain safely and securely.”
“The cyberspace is transnational and borderless. This means that cyberattacks can by conducted by anyone, from anywhere in the world. Regardless who the malicious actor is, putting in place cyber resilience measures to protect ourselves is key. The year 2021 put cybersecurity under the spotlight with a spate of cyberattacks and serious vulnerabilities discovered around the world. The most recent event of concern being the Log4Shell vulnerability found in an open-source Java package that is widely used by software developers. When there are known incidents and vulnerabilities, the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) takes immediate steps to ensure that our Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) and enterprises are secure. In the case of Log4Shell, CSA called for two emergency meetings with CII sectors to issue technical details and mitigation solutions, and heightened monitoring for unusual activity. Public advisories and alerts were issued; trade associations and chambers were also briefed on the urgency for enterprises to implement the mitigation measures. To strengthen our cybersecurity, CSA encourages adopting a "zero-trust" posture. This comprises two key principles: first, do not trust any activity on your networks without first verifying it; and second, ensure constant monitoring and vigilance for suspicious activities. To raise standards, CSA is developing the CII Supply Chain Programme to ensure that CII owners and their vendors adhere to international best practices for supply chain risk management. At the same time, CSA also developed actionable cybersecurity toolkits and resources for businesses under the SG Cyber Safe Programme to improve their cyber defences. These toolkits and resources can be found on CSA’s website.”
“The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) obliges all companies to protect the personal data they manage or process. The Government has put in place trustmark certifications to help companies better identify IT vendors with strong data and cyber security practices. The Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM), overseen by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), recognises companies with sound policies and practices to protect the personal data they manage and use it responsibly. IMDA’s DPTM covers more than 66 million personal data records held by 76 companies. This includes over 16 million records held by 30 companies certified from the ICT sector. Additionally, the Cyber Security Agency will launch the SG Cyber Safe Trustmark later this year to recognise companies with sound cybersecurity practices. While companies are not required to engage certified vendors, we strongly encourage it. To further aid companies, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) has issued guidelines to help them evaluate the data protection policies and practices of potential IT vendors, enabling companies to make more informed choices. To enhance the security posture of companies and IT vendors, the Government has put in place measures, such as regular cybersecurity advisories via SingCERT, to help businesses mitigate cybersecurity risks expeditiously.”
“MCI does not have specific data or studies on consumption of time and money spent on mobile games. The Government monitors global trends and, if necessary, will undertake local studies to better understand specific issues. We also encourage parents to take an active role in monitoring and guiding the activities of children, to help them cultivate healthy habits and personal responsibility.”