Facebook mentioned Monday Singapore’s use of a web based misinformation legislation is “severe” and dangers stifling free speech, after the corporate was once more pressured to dam a web page within the city-state. It was the newest criticism from the tech large over laws that empowers ministers to inform Internet platforms to place warnings subsequent to posts they deem false and order the blocking of pages.
Fringe political web site the National Times Singapore was accused of constructing false statements by way of its Facebook web page, together with a declare that “every criticism” of the federal government had been outlawed beneath the disinformation legislation.
The web site was ordered to erect a banner flagging it was false — nevertheless it refused, and Facebook was ordered to dam entry to the positioning’s web page in Singapore.
Asked concerning the authorities request to dam the web page, Facebook mentioned the corporate was “legally compelled” to conform.
But a spokesperson added that “blocking orders like this are severe and risk being misused to stifle voices and perspectives on the Internet”.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, and we work hard to protect and defend this important civil liberty around the world.”
The web page was run by anti-government activist Alex Tan, who lives in Australia and has been repeatedly accused of spreading falsehoods on a wide range of topics.
Four Facebook pages that he operates have now been blocked, in keeping with authorities.
A Singapore authorities web site geared toward debunking unfaithful info claims that Tan “continues to publish falsehoods that distort the public’s understanding of the (misinformation) law and how it has been implemented”.
Other tech giants, together with Google and Twitter, in addition to rights teams have expressed considerations concerning the legislation, which got here into power in October.
The authorities’s political opponents have additionally raised considerations that it’s getting used to suppress criticism forward of elections anticipated inside months.
But authorities insist the measure is critical to cease falsehoods from circulating on-line that might sow divisions within the multi-ethnic, multi-faith nation of 5.7 million.
This post was last modified on June 1, 2020 2:09 pm