Singapore legislation
Clause 7
Clause 7
Communication of false statements of fact in Singapore
(1)
A person must not do any act in or outside Singapore in order to communicate in Singapore a statement knowing or having reason to believe that —
it is a false statement of fact; and
the communication of the statement in Singapore is likely to —
be prejudicial to the security of Singapore or any part of Singapore;
be prejudicial to public health, public safety, public tranquillity or public finances;
be prejudicial to the friendly relations of Singapore with other countries;
influence the outcome of an election to the office of President, a general election of Members of Parliament, a by‑election of a Member of Parliament, or a referendum;
incite feelings of enmity, hatred or ill‑will between different groups of persons; or
diminish public confidence in the performance of any duty or function of, or in the exercise of any power by, the Government, an Organ of State, a statutory board, or a part of the Government, an Organ of State or a statutory board.
(2)
Subject to subsection (3), a person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —
in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to both; or
in any other case, to a fine not exceeding $500,000.
(3)
Where an inauthentic online account or a bot is used —
to communicate in Singapore the statement mentioned in subsection (1); and
for the purpose of accelerating such communication,the person who is guilty of an offence under that subsection shall be liable on conviction —
in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both; or
in any other case, to a fine not exceeding $1 million.
(4)
Subsection (1) does not apply to the doing of any act for the purpose of, or that is incidental to, the provision of —
an internet intermediary service;
a telecommunication service;
a service of giving the public access to the internet; or
a computing resource service.