SINGAPORE has proposed a new law banning deepfakes and digitally manipulated content of election candidates, aiming to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, while Australia is planning to impose a minimum age limit for social media use, aiming to protect children’s mental and physical health.
Introduced by Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), the ban would apply during the election period from the issuance of the writ of election until polling closes. It targets AI-generated misinformation that misrepresents candidates, recognizing the rising global threat of hyper-realistic deepfakes.
The law includes penalties for publishing or sharing such content, with steep fines for non-compliant social media platforms. While Singapore already has legislation to combat falsehoods, this bill addresses the specific risks deepfakes pose to electoral outcomes, emphasizing the need for enhanced cybersecurity in the political landscape.
“The bill addresses a serious issue. Deepfakes — realistic videos created using artificial intelligence that make it appear as if the person in the video is doing or saying something they never did — are a big issue that can sway a viewer into believing false information,” said Boris Cipot, senior security engineer at Synopsys Software Integrity Group. “In the past, deepfakes videos have been showcased several times to show how they can mislead the public. Popular deepfake videos of Barack Obama from 2018 and Nancy Pelosi from 2019 both showcase what this technique of video editing is capable of and how realistic videos created by AI can influence the public’s thoughts.”
Singapore’s emphasis on cybersecurity and digital literacy, along with its clear regulatory measures, places it at the forefront of countries combating the misuse of AI-driven technology in politics.
“Singapore’s proposal to ban deepfakes of candidates during elections is a proactive move, aligning with its broader strategy to protect the integrity of its democratic processes and prevent misinformation,” said Abhishek Kumar Singh, head for Security Engineering in Singapore at Check Point Software Technologies.
“Deepfakes — highly convincing yet entirely fabricated video or audio content — pose a substantial threat to electoral systems worldwide. They can be used to spread disinformation, mislead voters, and potentially damage the reputations of political candidates. As deepfakes become more sophisticated and accessible, their ability to create confusion and distrust in electoral outcomes grows, making such regulatory actions increasingly critical.”
Age limit on social media
Australia is planning to impose a minimum age limit for social media use, aiming to protect children’s mental and physical health. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the initiative, likely setting the age limit between 14 and 16, following concerns raised during a parliamentary inquiry into social media’s impact on society, particularly its negative effects on teenagers’ mental health.
However, digital rights advocates and experts caution that such restrictions could push youth to riskier, less regulated platforms and limit their access to important online support. Critics also question how effectively the age limit can be enforced, raising privacy concerns over identity verification. Despite the intention to reduce social harm, many argue that making online spaces safer would be a more effective approach than banning youth from social media altogether.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and while it is possible to limit access to inappropriate content, it’s impossible to completely eradicate it for the most motivated of users, young or old. Limitations could be better enforced and made default for children by the providers, where an explicit opt-out is required and reviewed periodically. The app providers themselves realize that access by children is not right which is evident through their own self-governance, even if it’s not properly enforced. Providers and governments could better help parents and guardians to enforce some governance of essentially highly addictive content,” said Adam Brown, managing consultant at Synopsys Software Integrity Group.
“As a parent, I know how motivated a minor can be when it comes to gaining access to social media and can say how standard controls on devices are not effective enough for parents who want to govern access to social media. These apps are designed to attract attention, and combined with the super ease of use, convenience, and ubiquity of mobile devices, kids far too easily fall into bad habits with social media, spending, in some cases, most of their free time glued to these tiny screens.”
Meta takes action
Right after Australia’s move against social media platforms, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Thread and Instagram, announced the introduction of Instagram Teen Accounts to automatically place teens in built-in protections and reassure parents that teens are having safe experiences — offering another solution away from an out-and-out ban.
Teen Accounts will limit who can contact teens and the content they see and help ensure their time is well spent.
Whether the ban goes through or Teen Accounts take off, experts warn that there will be cybersecurity implications either way — urging parents to protect their children online.
“The digital footprints left by online activities — such as posts, comments or even clicks — create an information trail that is vulnerable to exploitation by malicious actors. Data accumulated from a young age can form detailed, evolving profiles that — if not adequately protected — can be exploited for future cyberattacks, identity theft and even physical harm,” said Darren Guccione, Keeper Security chief executive and co-founder.
“Regardless of whether the social media ban is implemented or not, parents should prioritize protecting their children’s privacy and security online by actively minimizing their digital footprint. This includes deleting or deactivating any unused accounts, restricting data access for apps and services your children use, turning off geolocation and ensuring that accounts are set to private so access is restricted to only the people you know.”
Parents and children must prioritize implementing these robust cybersecurity measures to protect early data and manage digital footprints effectively, experts said.
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