Page:Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019.pdf/12

12 Purpose of Act

5. The purpose of this Act is—
 * (a) to prevent the communication of false statements of fact in Singapore and to enable measures to be taken to counteract the effects of such communication;
 * (b) to suppress the financing, promotion and other support of online locations that repeatedly communicate false statements of fact in Singapore;
 * (c) to enable measures to be taken to detect, control and safeguard against coordinated inauthentic behaviour and other misuses of online accounts and bots; and
 * (d) to enable measures to be taken to enhance disclosure of information concerning paid content directed towards a political end.

Appointment of Competent Authority

6.—(1) For the purposes of this Act, the Minister may appoint as the Competent Authority—
 * (a) a statutory board; or
 * (b) the holder of any office in the service of Government or a statutory board.

(2) The Competent Authority must give effect to the instructions of the Minister and any Minister where prescribed by this Act. PART 2 PROHIBITION OF COMMUNICATION OF FALSE STATEMENTS OF FACT IN SINGAPORE Communication of false statements of fact in Singapore

7.—(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—
 * (a) it is a false statement of fact; and