2025年2月5日，新加坡 內政部兼社會及家庭發展部政務部長孫雪玲 在國會口頭答覆裕廊集選區 議員陳有明醫生、阿裕尼集選區議員畢丹星有關境外社交媒體用算法操縱選舉風險的問題。

以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：

陳有明醫生（裕廊集選區議員）詢問內政部長：

（a）政府是否評估過本地用戶眾多的境外社媒平台在大選期間通過算法操縱特定候選人內容傳播的風險？

（b）此類行為是否構成《防止外來干預（對應措施）法》（FICA）界定的外國干預？

（c）現行《防止網絡假信息和網絡操縱法案》（POFMA）與FICA能否有效應對？

孫雪玲（內政部兼社會及家庭發展部政務部長，代表內政部長）：政府注意到社媒算法可能被操縱以影響用戶信息獲取。若境外實體（含社媒企業）蓄意通過算法影響本國政治，即構成外國干預行為。

2021年《防止外來干預（對應措施）法》（FICA）可打擊算法驅動的外國信息戰，特別是旨在影響我國選舉的敵對信息。

選舉期間若出現損害公共利益的網絡虛假信息，政府可援引《防止網絡假信息和網絡操縱法案》（POFMA）發布指令，要求公布正確事實。此外，在此期間的所有在線競選廣告都必須遵守1954年的《國會選舉法》中的相關規則，以確保透明可溯，選舉官有權要求社交媒體平台禁止訪問或下架違規內容。

政府將在即將舉行的大選之前與社交媒體公司接觸，提醒它們必須遵守適用的法律，特別是有關外國干涉的法律。

議長：有請陳有明醫生。

陳有明醫生（裕廊集選區議員）：議長先生，我感謝政務部長的答覆。但政務部長難道不認為，您答覆中援引的《防止網絡假信息和網絡操縱法案》（POFMA）等法規，主要側重於處理虛假信息問題，而非解決算法操控內容可見度及用戶接收信息範圍這一關鍵議題嗎？

因此，我想請問政務部長。首先，鑒於社媒平台及其算法控制著公民和選民所看到的內容，控制著信息流中顯示的內容，那麼內政部是否考慮過以下情況。例如，如果一家外國社媒公司故意操縱算法，使某一候選人在競選期間獲得更多報道，該怎麼辦？候選人甚至可能對此一無所知。

其次，如果一家外國社媒公司決定再次操縱算法，使他們認為會獲勝的某位候選人得到更多支持，以便日後可以為此邀功，甚至可能破壞該候選人和團隊的民主授權，該怎麼辦？

這些問題可能會影響國會議員、各黨派和各派候選人。

因此，有鑒於此，政務部長能否分享一下新加坡和新加坡人如何才能更好地保護我們自己和我們的民主，使外國社媒公司不會出現操縱算法來影響我們民主進程結果的情況，從而使新加坡的政治仍然由新加坡人來決定？

孫雪玲（內政部兼社會及家庭發展部政務部長，代表內政部長）：我感謝這位議員提出的補充問題。顯然，他對這個問題進行了深思熟慮。我想回到我的主要答覆。正如我提到的，政府意識到社交媒體平台的算法可能被操縱，從而扭曲信息傳播。如果算法被外國個人或實體（包括社交媒體公司）蓄意操縱以影響我國內政，這將構成外國干預。

我剛才分享的這兩段內容並不依賴於信息是否為虛假。相反，《防止外來干預（對應措施）法》（FICA）關注的是外國行為者通常通過隱蔽或欺騙手段進行的活動，這些活動旨在影響我國內政，以推進外國行為者自身的利益。

我想分享一個例子。2024年，政府依據FICA對95個社交媒體帳號網絡發出帳戶限制令，並屏蔽了10個可能被用於對新加坡發起敵對信息宣傳的虛假網站。

除此之外，政府還實施多項舉措，幫助新加坡人提高信息素養技能。

議長：有請畢丹星先生。

畢丹星（阿裕尼集選區議員）：議長先生，我想請問，內政部將如何獨立判斷算法是否因國會提問中所述的原因而被操縱？

孫雪玲（內政部兼社會及家庭發展部政務部長，代表內政部長）：我感謝議員的補充提問。算法本身並不違法。許多社交媒體公司使用算法是為了推送信息。

他們使用算法，首先是因為算法是專有的，其次是為了吸引消費者的注意力。

因此，我想強調的是，社交媒體公司使用算法本身並不違法。但《防止外來干預（對應措施）法》（FICA）的目的是，如果部長確信算法被外國實體用於政治目的，以影響新加坡的國內政治，那麼他有權採取預防性措施。

議長：有請陳有明醫生。

陳有明醫生（裕廊集選區議員）：議長先生，繼我和反對黨領袖提出的問題之後，我想請問政務部長，內政部是否願意與從事此類研究的學術界和研究人員合作？或許我可以提請政務部長注意，澳大利亞的學術團隊——昆士蘭科技大學和蒙納士大學——最近對另一個國家大選期間主要社交媒體平台的潛在算法偏見進行了計算分析，學術界有機會研究這一問題，內政部是否可以考慮與學術界和專家合作，進一步研究這一問題？

孫雪玲（內政部兼社會及家庭發展部政務部長，代表內政部長）：我感謝議員的建議。確實，政府願意進行對話和合作，因為這是一個不斷變化的威脅環境，我們希望聽取學術界和社交媒體公司關於他們所觀察到的趨勢的意見。

我想舉兩個已經發生的例子，我們可以從中借鑑。一個是英國廣播公司（BBC）的研究，該研究聲稱，在2024年英國大選期間，關鍵選區的年輕選民被推薦了虛假和諷刺的人工智慧生成視頻，這些視頻描繪了政黨領導人發表他們實際上並未發表的評論。

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此外，近年來，也有關於通過社交媒體平台干預選舉的指控，最引人注目的是在2024年美國總統大選期間，據稱一個由900多個社交媒體帳號組成的社交媒體機器人農場在美國和國外傳播虛假信息。

因此，我認為現實世界中確實存在這樣的例子，我的部門將對這些合作持開放態度，以進一步了解可以採取的其他措施。

以下是英文質詢內容：

Dr Tan Wu Mengasked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Government has assessed the potential impact of a foreign-based social media platform with significant local presence manipulating its algorithms with the effect of privileging or disadvantaging the social media reach of a particular candidate or group of candidates during a general election period or the run-up period thereof; (b) whether this constitutes foreign interference under existing laws; and (c) whether existing laws such as the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 and Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 are adequate to address this.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): The Government is aware that social media platforms' algorithms may potentially be manipulated to skew the consumption of information by its user.

If algorithms are deliberately manipulated by foreign persons or entities, including social media companies, to affect our domestic politics, that would constitute foreign interference.

Various provisions under the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act 2021 (FICA) may be used to act against algorithmically driven online foreign interference, particularly hostile information campaigns driven by foreign actors to influence our elections.

If falsehoods against the public interest are communicated online during an election period, the Government may issue directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 (POFMA), requiring the correct facts to be published. Additionally, all online election advertising during that period must abide by the relevant rules in the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954, for transparency and accountability. The Returning Officer can direct social media platforms to disable access to or remove any online election advertising that violates these rules.

The Government will engage social media companies ahead of the upcoming General Elections to remind them of the need to comply with applicable laws, especially those concerning foreign interference.

Mr Speaker: Dr Tan.

Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for her answer. Does the Minister of State not agree that much of the substance of her answer and reference to the legislation look at issues of falsehoods, rather than manipulation of viewership and what people get to see?

So, can I ask the Minister of State, firstly, given that social media platforms and their algorithms control what citizens and voters see, what shows up in the feed, has the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) considered the following scenarios. For example, what if a foreign social media company deliberately manipulates the algorithm so that a particular candidate gets more coverage during a campaign? The candidate may not even be aware of this.

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Secondly, what if a foreign social media company decides to again manipulate the algorithm so that a particular candidate which they think is going to win is supported even further, so that at a later date, they can claim credit for it and perhaps even undermine the democratic mandate of that candidate and the team?

These problems can affect Members of Parliament (MPs), parties and candidates on all sides, of all persuasions.

So, given this, can the Minister of State share how Singapore and Singaporeans can better protect ourselves and our democracy, so that foreign social media companies do not have a situation where they manipulate algorithms to affect the outcome of our democratic process, so that politics in Singapore remains for Singaporeans to decide?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. He has obviously given the matter much thought. I would like to come back to my main response, where I mentioned that the Government is aware that social media platforms' algorithms may potentially be manipulated to skew the consumption of information and that if algorithms are deliberately manipulated by foreign persons or entities, including social media companies, to affect our domestic politics, that will constitute foreign interference.

These two paragraphs that I have just shared do not rely on the information being falsehoods. What instead FICA is interested in is that there are activities conducted by foreign actors typically through covert or deceptive means that affect our domestic politics, in order to advance the foreign actors' own interests.

I would like to share an example. In 2024, the Government had issued FICA account restriction directions against a network of 95 social media accounts and also blocked 10 inauthentic websites that could potentially be used to mount hostile information campaigns against Singapore.

Beyond this, the Government also has in place several initiatives to help Singaporeans improve their information literacy skills.

We will continue to study the evolving online landscape and review if additional regulations for social media services are needed as part of ongoing efforts to enhance online safety in Singapore and strengthen our defences against foreign interference.

Mr Speaker: Mr Pritam Singh.

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Can I ask, Mr Speaker, how will the Ministry independently ascertain whether algorithms have been manipulated for the reasons that are put in the Parliamentary Question?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member his supplementary question. In and of itself, algorithms are not illegal. Many social media companies have algorithms for the purposes of pushing out their information.

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They may use it because, first and foremost, the algorithms are proprietary and they use the algorithms because they want to be able to catch the eyeballs of consumers.

So, I would just like to make this point that algorithms, in and of itself, used by social media companies are not illegal. But what the FICA aims to do is that if the Minister is satisfied that the algorithms are being used by foreign entities, with a political end in mind, to influence domestic politics in Singapore, then he is empowered to issue pre-emptive measures.

Mr Speaker: Dr Tan Wu Meng.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: Mr Speaker, following on from the questions raised by both myself and the Leader of the Opposition, can I ask the Minister of State, would MHA be open to engaging with academia and researchers who conduct research into such matters? Can I perhaps draw the Minister of State's attention to how there is open source research by an Australian academic team – one at Queensland University of Technology, another at Monash University – which did a computational analysis of potential algorithmic bias on a major social media platform during a major election in another country, around the world, that happened quite recently, and that there are opportunities for academia to look at this, and can the Ministry, perhaps, look at examining collaborations with academia and experts, to study this further?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his suggestion. Indeed, the Government is open to conversations and engagements, because this is an evolving threat landscape and we would desire to hear from academics, as well as social media companies, as to the trends they are seeing.

I would like to cite two examples that have happened and which we can also take reference from, which is that there was British Broadcasting Corporation study, which claimed that young voters in key electoral constituencies during the 2024 United Kingdom elections have been recommended false and satirical artificial intelligence generated videos depicting party leaders making comments that they actually did not make.

And also, in recent years, there have also been allegations of foreign interference in elections through social media platforms, most notably during the 2024 United States (US) elections, where it was alleged that a social media bot farm, comprising over 900 social media accounts, had spread disinformation in the US and abroad.

So, indeed, I think there are examples in the real world and my Ministry will be open to these engagements to understand further as to what other steps can be taken.

CF丨翻譯

Alex丨編審

新加坡國會丨來源/圖源