Fake social media accounts target political parties ahead of GE2025

A wave of fake social media accounts has emerged ahead of Singapore's General Elections (GE) this year.

Checks from various publications found at least 20 accounts on Facebook and Instagram targeting political parties with misleading content. According to The Straits Times (ST), many of these accounts were created shortly after Nomination Day on 23 April, and shared posts that cast candidates in a negative light, often based on false information. Many of these accounts also used AI-generated images to impersonate Singaporeans to appear more authentic. 

In tandem, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) noted a surge of negative comments from unverifiable Facebook accounts aimed at specific candidates in both the Workers' Party (WP) and the People's Action Party (PAP). 

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The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) reportedly stated that it will be looking into these online accounts and continue to monitor the online space for signs of foreign interference. The authority will also reportedly take action against content that violates Singapore’s laws, 

In addition, MDDI urged the public to critically evaluate the information they may encounter on such social media platforms. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to MDDI and Meta for more information.

Politicians have been known to be the centre of online manipulation during GE. Just last week, Singapore's former president Halimah Yacob stated that she will be filing a police report after a deepfake video of herself allegedly making negative statements about the government was circulated. In a Facebook post, Halimah said that she had never made such a video, noting that even her voice had been incorporated. 

In a statement following the incident, the Elections Department of Singapore (ELD) unveiled campaign guidelines for this year's general elections, noting that publishing digitally generated or manipulated online election advertising (OEA) that realistically misrepresents a prospective or nominated candidate’s speech or actions is prohibited during the election period. 

This includes both content created using generative-AI technology, or altered using digital means. Candidates who have been misrepresented by such content may make a request and formal declaration to the Returning Officer to review the content.

“These rules, which will be in place for the first time in GE2025, serve to uphold the truthfulness of representation during an election,” ELD said. 

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