Singapore steps up digital strategy to tackle deepfakes and cybersecurity threats

In the digital age, deepfake technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous, posing a serious threat to national security and social order. As a leading technology hub, Singapore has quickly recognized this danger. The Lion City is actively implementing strategies to raise public awareness, develop deepfake detection tools, and cooperate with other countries to build a safe network in cyberspace.

Speaking at the launch of the latest Smart Nation strategy on October 1, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said: "Today's digital landscape is very different from a decade ago. In the next phase, we aim to focus on using technology more effectively to transform the future and shape the nation together."

In the face of the growing problem of cyber violence, especially online bullying and sexual harassment, Singapore has decided to take action. Accordingly, a dedicated agency will soon be established to deal with these urgent issues. This agency will act as a "shield" to protect users from the negative impacts of cyberspace.

According to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, victims of harmful online behaviour such as bullying and harassment can currently approach the police to report and seek a court order of protection. However, the process is often complicated and time-consuming, which many people find daunting. Recognising this, the Singapore Government has decided to set up a dedicated agency to significantly simplify the process of reporting and handling cases.

A recent survey found that 80% of people who reported harmful content on social media had difficulty doing so, highlighting the urgent need for a more efficient channel for receiving and processing information.

“We have been steadily improving our legal system over the years, aiming to severely punish criminals and protect the rights of vulnerable people,” Mr. Lawrence Wong emphasized. “However, we are well aware that there is still a lot of work to be done to completely and quickly eliminate harmful content in cyberspace.”

Mr Lawrence Wong also expressed deep concern about the rise of deepfake technology, which is driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI). To address this, Singapore will require social media platforms to implement strong measures to prevent the exploitation of digitally manipulated content.

These new measures are part of Singapore's Smart Nation Strategy, an initiative launched by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2014. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the plan is being continuously refined, with the goal of building a strong digital foundation, while encouraging people to use online public services, electronic payments and technology applications in various areas of life such as healthcare, transportation, etc.

In just a decade, Singapore has emerged as a global leader in digital infrastructure, with one of the largest data centers in the region.

"Almost all of Singapore's public services have been digitised. This ability to adapt quickly was clearly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it took us less than a month to roll out an online vaccine booking system and achieve vaccination coverage of over 90% of the population within a year," the Singaporean prime minister added.

Singapore’s digital model has created a strong ripple effect across the region. The successful implementation of services such as passport-free immigration clearance and biometric systems has attracted the attention of many countries, especially Malaysia, Thailand and Japan. Japan has used Singapore as a model to develop its national digital identity program.

As a pioneer in digital transformation, Singapore has become a learning destination for many countries in the region. Initiatives such as passport-free immigration and biometrics have set a new standard for public services and inspired countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Japan, the latter of which has used Singpass as a model for its digital identity system.

The rapid digitalization of Southeast Asia has created many opportunities but also posed new challenges in terms of cybersecurity and system stability. Last year’s four-hour outage at a Singapore data center due to a cooling fault that affected major banks such as DBS and Citibank highlighted the importance of ensuring the continuity of digital infrastructure.

Singapore is preparing for a cybersecurity revolution. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has announced plans to introduce a comprehensive law next year that will significantly enhance the resilience and security of the nation’s digital systems. The new law will not only focus on cyber threats, but also cover potential physical risks, such as fires or cooling system failures.

"Recent digital incidents around the world have exposed an alarming reality: when technology systems collapse, the lives of millions of people can be turned upside down. From hospitals to airports, every sector can be paralyzed. Therefore, ensuring the safety and stability of digital systems is extremely urgent. To prevent this from happening, we need to improve the resilience of digital systems, especially data centers," Mr. Lawrence Wong emphasized.