新加坡的反假新聞法—Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019



顧長芸
2019年09月06日


新加坡已於6月25日正式公告《防止網絡假信息和網絡操縱法案》(Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019,POFMA),防止有害新加坡公共利益之不實或誤導陳述(false or misleading statement)於網路、多媒體簡訊(MMS)或文字簡訊(SMS)等電子通訊平台的散布。本法規範的對象包括:一、可編輯與控制不實陳述的個人;二、以散布不實陳述為目的,並試圖製造或修改軟體機器人(bot)作為散布工具者;三、知道會被用以散布不實陳述但仍提供服務者。

POFMA規定,不論於新加坡境內或境外,個人不得散布有害(prejudicial)新加坡安全,或有害公共衛生、公共安全、公共安寧或公共財政,或有害新加坡與他國友好關係,或有害總統選舉、國會議員普選、國會議員補選或公投之結果,或激起不同個人或種族間敵意、仇恨或惡意之情感,或降低公眾對於政府、國家機關(organ of state)與法定機構(statutory board)在執行職務或行使權力的信賴感之陳述。違反本法之個人,在同時使用假帳號或軟體作為散布工具之情況下,至多將可處以罰款新幣10萬元(約台幣228萬元)或及10年有期徒刑,而違反之軟體製造者或服務提供者,至多將可處以罰款新幣6萬元(約台幣137萬元)或及6年有期徒刑;但於任何情況下,上述罰款至多不可超過新幣1百萬元罰款(約台幣2千2百萬元)。

新加坡任一部長(Minister),因不實陳述已於或正於新加坡內流傳,且認為基於公共利益而有需要,即便此不實陳述已被修正或已停止散布,在滿足前述的兩個要件後,部長可就不實陳述的散布,針對個人或網路中介業者及大眾媒體服務提供者,提出處置方法,不論其是否位於新加坡境內。就個人而言,部長可以發布Correction Direction,要求個人於特定時間以特定方式與形式,提出更正通知(notice),說明原文不實或原文包含不實內容,並提供事實內容或可找到事實內容的方式;部長也可發布Stop Communication Direction,要求停止散布不實陳述或本質上相似之陳述,並且可要求於具體刊物上刊登修正內容;即便個人不知道或沒有理由相信所散布之原文不實,也可能接到上述指令。部長對業者或服務提供者則可發布Targeted Correction Direction、Disable Direction與General Correction Direction,要求業者提供更正通知給特定使用者或所有使用者。
接到部長指令的個人或業者,在部長拒絕撤銷指令後,可向高等法庭(High Court)提出上訴,高庭可就是否於新加坡境內流傳、是否為虛假陳述、技術上是否得以遵從指令內容等三方面,進行審理;目前規劃上訴之整體過程,自個人或業者向部長提出申請後9天內,將可由高庭審理。相關上訴細節與具體施行辦法,須待新加坡政府公告POFMA的附屬法則(Subsidiary Legislation)後而定。


要聞深探

Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019. (https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Acts-Supp/18-2019/Published/20190625?DocDate=20190625


Photo by journolink2019 on Foter.com / CC BY https://foter.com/photo2/fake-news-scrabble-tiles/

資料來源

  • All you need to know about the debate on Spores proposed fake news laws- POFMA was passed by Parliament on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (Today Online, Singapore Government(www.gov.sg), May 12, 2019)
  • Court to hear appeal against minister’s fake news order as soon as 9 days after challenge. (Faris Mokhtar, TODAY, May 07, 2019)
  • Fact of opinion? Shaumugam explain difference with 5 examples.(Daryl Choo, TODAY, May 07, 2019)
  • 超出將構成誹謗 李總理:言論自由須有恰當範圍。(叶伟强,新加坡聯合早報(zaobao.com.sg),2019年4月29日)
  • Anti-fake news law needed to help preserve social cohesion: Heng Swee Keat.(Nicholas Yong, Yahoo News Singapore, Jun. 21, 2019)
  • Where is the missing subsidiary legislation to POFMA that the Law Minister has mentioned? (Kathleen. F, The Online Citizen, Jul. 4, 2019 )
  • POFMA has been gazette- it is now the law of the land. (Kathleen. F, The Online Citizen, Jun. 27, 2019)
  • Singapore’s anti-misinformation law is among the most comprehensive in the world. Here’s why that’s problematic. (Daniel Funke, Poynter, Jun. 13, 2019)
  • Singapore’s anti-fake news law criticized as ‘Orwellian’ threat to freedom of speech. (Max Walden, ABC, May 14, 2019)
  • Singapore’s “anti fake news” law comes into effect after President Halimah Yacob assents to it. (Jewel Stolarchuk, theindependent.sg, Jun.27, 2019)
  • Singapore to introduce anti-fake news law, allowing removal of articles. (Jamie Fullerton, The Guardian, Apr. 1, 2019)
  • Singapore passes new law to police fake news despite concerns. (Tom Benner, Al Jazeera, May 9, 2019)
  • Singapore fake news law police chats and online platforms. (Tessa Wong, BBC News Singapore, May 9, 2019)
  • This ‘Fake News’ Law Threatens Free Speech. But It Doesn’t Stop There. (Jennifer Daskal, The New York Times, May 30, 2019)
  • Parliament: Fake news law passed after 2 days of debate. (Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times, May 9, 2019)
  • PAP Minister takes a stand against fake news, a month after anti-fake news bill was passed. (Jewel Stolarchuk, theindependent.sg, Jun. 15, 2019)
  • Protection from Online Falsehoods and manipulation Act- An Overview. (QUEK Li Fei, Mike CHIAM, Adrian TOH, Samuel LING, CNPLaw LLP, Jun. 19, 2019)
  • IPSA Statement on Singapore’s proposed “Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act”. (Marianne Kneuer, IPSA, undated)
  • Concern over Singapore’s anti-fake news law.(Karishma Vaswani, BBC News, Apr. 4, 2019)
  • Fake news decision by Singapore government should be subject to review by independent council, say lawmakers. (Kelly Ng, SCMP.COM, May 1, 2019)
  • Fake News las passed in Singapore: Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act. (Pin-Ping Oh, MediaWrites By Bird&Bird, May 10, 2019)
  • Combating ‘fake news’. (Luis V. Teodoro, BusinessWorld, Jun. 6, 2019)
  • Fake News: the submission of the masses through manipulation. (Luis Franceschi, Daily Naiton, Jul. 5, 2019)

作者

中央研究院法律學研究所 顧長芸
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