Singapore legislation
Section 15E
Section 15E
General correction order
(1)
A court may, on an application by the subject of an alleged false statement of fact (called in this section the relevant statement), make a general correction order against a prescribed individual or entity (called in this section the respondent), if —
the court is satisfied on the balance of probabilities that —
the relevant statement is a false statement of fact; and
the publication of the relevant statement has caused or is likely to cause serious harm to the reputation of the subject; and
it is just and equitable in the circumstances to make the general correction order.
(2)
A general correction order may require the respondent to publish in Singapore a general correction notice within a specified time in a specified form and manner —
where the respondent is a prescribed holder of a permit under section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act 1974 — in a specified newspaper or other printed publication, printed or published by the respondent;
where the respondent is a prescribed broadcasting licensee within the meaning of the Broadcasting Act 1994 — by a specified broadcasting service provided by the respondent;
where the respondent is a prescribed holder of a licence under section 5 of the Telecommunications Act 1999 — by a specified telecommunication system or service run by the respondent;
where the respondent is a prescribed internet intermediary —
by a specified internet intermediary service provided by the respondent; or
to all end-users, or a specified class of end-users, in Singapore who use that internet intermediary service at any time after the general correction order is served; and
in any other case — by any specified means within the control of the respondent.
(3)
A general correction notice must contain all or any of the following as may be specified in the general correction order:
a statement, in such terms as may be specified, that the court has determined that the relevant statement is false;
a statement, in such terms as may be specified, correcting the false statement of fact, or a reference to a specified location where the statement may be found.
(4)
In this section, “specified” means specified in the general correction order.Illustrations (a) X publishes a false statement that Y, a lawyer, had misappropriated client moneys. As a result, Y’s clients terminate their contracts for Y’s services. Y has suffered serious harm to Y’s reputation. (b) X makes a false statement that Y, a married female, had committed adultery with multiple men. The statement is widely published on social media. Y has suffered serious harm to Y’s reputation.