Ho Ching warns of fake news in the form of manipulated videos

The Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings and wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Ho Ching, took to social media earlier today to warn about fake video clips.

In her Facebook post, she shared a YouTube video showing how computer software can alter actual footage of a person talking, as if they were saying something else.

She wrote, “This is incredible! Just typing out the text that you want the video to fake a person saying!”

“Insert fake text and the software can get the lip sync done on a live talking head person.

Mona Lisa, real people, fake AI people – we no longer can trust video clips as “evidence” anymore”, she added.

According to The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (Pofma), people in Singapore who spread online falsehoods with a malicious intent to harm public interest could face jail terms of up to 10 years.

Internet platforms, including social media sites like Facebook, will also be required to act swiftly to limit the spread of falsehoods by displaying corrections alongside such posts, or removing them.

Failure to comply could result in fines of up to S$1 million.

Individuals can also be directed to put up similar corrections and could be fined up to S$20,000 and jailed up to 12 months if they refuse to do so./TISG