SINGAPORE – A TikTok user has been issued a correction notice under the law against fake news, for a post on the social media platform that contained false claims regarding vote secrecy.

In a statement on Friday, the Elections Department (ELD), which falls under the Prime Minister’s Office, said TikTok user dr.ishhaq.jay had in a post on July 17 falsely claimed that the Government is able to trace votes back to the voter in order to penalise them.

The correction order was issued by the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) office under the instruction of Minister-in-Charge of the Public Service and Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.

A statement on Government fact-checking website Factually gave the following explanation as to why the claims were false:

• The Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 (PEA), and the equivalent provisions of its predecessor Acts, provide for voting secrecy. The Government and ELD have complied strictly with the statutory procedures and obligations relating to voting secrecy, as a matter of policy and practice.
• The statutory procedures and obligations to protect voting secrecy are rigorous and comprehensive. For example, every officer, clerk, interpreter, candidate and agent authorised to attend at a polling station or at the counting of votes must, before so attending, make an oath of secrecy.
• Another set of statutory procedures provide that, for votes cast in person at polling stations, there is no break in the chain of...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5j...