Sun Xueling on managing potential impact of foreign-based social media platforms

The Government will engage social media companies ahead of the upcoming General Election to remind them of the need to comply with applicable laws, especially those concerning foreign interference. If falsehoods against the public interest are communicated online during an election period, the Government may issue directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act requiring the correct facts to be published. All online election advertising during that period must abide by the relevant rules for transparency and accountability. The Returning Officer can direct social media platforms to disable access to or remove any online election advertising that violates these rules. Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling highlighted these measures in reply to an MP’s questions in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 5).