SINGAPORE – Google on Thursday said an anti-fake news law passed by Singapore’s parliament could stunt innovation, a quality the city-state wanted to nurture under plans to expand its tech industry.
Singapore’s parliament on Wednesday passed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, a law criticized by rights groups, journalists and tech firms over fears it could be used to clamp down on freedom of speech.
The passage of the law came when Singapore, a financial and transport hub, made efforts to position itself as regional center for digital innovation.
Google said the law could hamper those efforts.
The law will require online media platforms to carry corrections or remove content the government considers to be false, with penalties for perpetrators running as high as prison terms of up to 10 years or fines up to S$1 million ($735,000). (Reuters)
