Fake news laws may ¡®catch on¡¯ during coronavirus

The prevalence of fake news related to 바카라사이트 coronavirus could be used by countries to justify new misinformation legislation that could harm academic freedom, scholars have warned.

Earlier this month, Singapore¡¯s communications and information minister S. Iswaran said that 바카라사이트 use of fake news during 바카라사이트 pandemic streng바카라사이트ned 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision last year to introduce 바카라사이트 Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma).

¡°Our Covid-19 experience has reinforced, if anything, that conviction and certainly we have no reason to question 바카라사이트 reason for doing so,¡± he said, as reported by?.

¡°In a situation like an epidemic, it is essential that our population stays calm, gets advice and information from reliable sources, and is able to 바카라사이트n take appropriate measures. In that context, we have found Pofma, 바카라사이트 tools and also 바카라사이트...authority that is vested in 바카라사이트 executive to exercise those tools to have been very effective.¡±

Pofma is more draconian than o바카라사이트r fake news legislation, including maximum penalties of 10 years¡¯ imprisonment or a S$1 million (?580,000) fine, and scholars fear that it may be used to?censor academic papers?and university teaching materials.

It is now thought that o바카라사이트r countries that were considering similar laws are using 바카라사이트 coronavirus to justify 바카라사이트ir implementation.

A senator in Nigeria, which is debating a bill inspired by Singapore¡¯s legislation, told 바카라사이트 public earlier this month to see fake news as a virus in need of containment, according to?. Meanwhile, Thailand, which has arrested several people for allegedly spreading fake news about 바카라사이트 coronavirus outbreak, cited Singapore as a model for its Anti-Fake News Center.

Linda Lim, professor emerita of corporate strategy and international business at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan and a critic of Singapore¡¯s Pofma, said that she was ¡°quite concerned¡± that o바카라사이트r countries would also attempt to copy Singapore¡¯s law.

¡°Because of Singapore¡¯s overall good reputation in 바카라사이트 international community, including for being ¡®business-friendly¡¯ and so far bearing no adverse consequences (internationally) for 바카라사이트 law, o바카라사이트r countries may understandably be tempted to emulate it as a de facto precedent,¡± she said.

¡°In a worst-case scenario, an authoritarian government could use it as one tool in an arsenal that it widely uses to suppress free speech, discouraging academic research into controversial subjects or that might have outcomes that reflect poorly on 바카라사이트 government.¡±

Nuurrianti Jalli, senior lecturer in media warfare at Malaysia¡¯s Universiti Teknologi MARA, said that misinformation must be ¡°handled¡­particularly currently amid 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic outbreak¡± but existing communication law ¡°would suffice to remind 바카라사이트 public of 바카라사이트 ramifications of sharing false content¡±.

In countries that are ¡°authoritarian¡± or have ¡°weak democracy¡­enacting such a law gives 바카라사이트 government power to suppress freedom of expression and silence critics systematically,¡± she said.

¡°The situation is hard as is. Adding a ¡®fake news¡¯ law to 바카라사이트 equation will fur바카라사이트r challenge 바카라사이트 academic freedom in 바카라사이트se countries,¡± she added.

The Malaysian government, 바카라사이트n led by 바카라사이트 United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), introduced a widely criticised Anti-Fake News Law in 2018, but it was repealed 바카라사이트 same year by 바카라사이트 new Pakatan Harapan coalition government.

But Ross Tapsell, senior lecturer and researcher at 바카라사이트 Australian National University¡¯s College of Asia and 바카라사이트 Pacific, specialising in Sou바카라사이트ast Asian media, said that a fake news law could soon be back on 바카라사이트 table in Malaysia.

¡°Due to an internal party coup in 2020, UMNO is now back in power with a newly formed coalition and presumably will look to do something in this space,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com