Police apply same protocols for all crimes, including those involving deepfake incidents

SINGAPORE: The Police apply the same takedown protocols, investigation timelines, and victim support measures regardless of whether a crime is related to deepfakes and are collaborating with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency to develop technologies for detecting AI-generated audios and videos, according to Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam in a Parliament sitting on Tuesday (6 Aug).

He Ting Ru, Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC from the Workers’ Party, raised several queries with Minister Shanmugam regarding the handling of deepfake-related crimes.

In her questions, Ms He sought clarity on the current procedures for coordinating technical takedown, legal assistance, and victim support across different Ministries involved in addressing deepfake incidents.

Ms He also inquired about how the response time and interagency coordination for deepfake cases compare to those managed by the Anti-Scam Centre (ASC).

Furthermore, she questioned whether considerations have been made for centralizing the response to deepfake incidents, akin to the ASC model, given the unique technical challenges posed by deepfakes.

In his response, Minister Shanmugam explained that the Police do not have separate takedown protocols, investigation timelines, or victim support measures specifically for deepfake-related crimes.

Instead, the approach remains consistent with that of other online criminal activities.

Under the Online Criminal Harms Act, the Police can issue directions to online service providers to address deepfake content.

Minister Shanmugam noted that online service providers are mandated to implement measures to combat scams and malicious cyber activities, including those involving deepfakes, as stipulated by the Codes of Practice introduced in June 2024.

“Where there is any deepfake-related crime committed, the Police will consider the predicate offence involved, and investigate the offence, including working with other agencies where necessary.”

To address the technical challenges associated with deepfakes, the Police are working with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency to develop technologies for detecting AI-generated audio and video content.

“The Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety is also building tools to detect harmful online content, including deepfakes,” Minister Shanmugam stated.

Singapore intensifies efforts to tackle deepfake scams

Singapore authorities are intensifying efforts to combat the misuse of deepfake technology in scam and fraud cases through a range of regulations and initiatives designed to protect citizens from online threats.

During a parliamentary debate on 5 February, Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information, outlined these measures.

Various agencies, including the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and the Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA), are collaborating to enhance online safety and guard against digital threats.

The Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA), enacted in July 2023, grants the government authority to issue directives to online platforms to prevent scam-related content from reaching Singapore users.

“The Government is working with industry partners to strengthen our capabilities to deal with these threats,” Mrs Teo stated.

One significant initiative is the forthcoming Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety, which aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry to improve deepfake detection.

Additionally, the SPF, in partnership with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency, is advancing technologies to identify AI-generated audio and video content.

In 2023, Singapore experienced a fivefold increase in deepfake cases, reflecting a broader global trend.

The Sumsub Identity Fraud Report 2023, released in November, noted a tenfold rise in deepfakes detected worldwide across various industries from 2022 to 2023.