SINGAPORE - Members of the public have been warned to refrain from spreading misinformation, engaging in online harassment, or posting content that could incite racial or religious tensions during the upcoming General Election.

Singaporeans go to the polls on May 3, with Nomination Day falling on April 23

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Irresponsible online conduct may constitute criminal offences and undermine the integrity of the electoral process,

said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) in a joint release on April 16.

They reminded Singaporeans that while they have the right to participate in online discussions, they must do so responsibly.

The authorities highlighted the risk of misinformation and disinformation in the lead-up to the polls, warning that false or manipulated content - including deepfakes - can be easily created and used to deceive the public and influence the election outcome.

For instance, former president Halimah Yacob had, on April 15, said she was filing a police report after discovering a deepfake video of herself allegedly making negative remarks about the government.

The SPF and MDDI urged voters

to be cautious about what they shared and to verify information with official sources if in doubt.

Individuals who spread falsehoods online may face prosecution under various laws. These include communicating false messages under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, knowingly spreading falsehoods against the public interest under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), and publishing digitally altered election-related content that misrepresents a candidate’s actions or words under the Parliamentary Elections Act.

The statement also warned against online harassment, which includes making comments that cause alarm, distress, or harassment to others.

Acts such as doxxing - publishing someone’s personal information with the inte...