The following statement is Mothership's response to the first reading of the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill

We are glad to learn of the government’s efforts to use corrections as the Bill’s primary tool against online falsehoods.

Singaporeans are digitally savvy and well-informed.

The Bill’s inclination to use corrections sets the record straight in real-time, allowing readers to access and assess the facts alongside any falsehoods.

Mothership has practised open and transparent corrections as an editorial policy since we started operations six years ago.

First, we offer the option of the right of reply, which is used from time to time by government agencies and companies responding to stories. We carry their replies together with the original texts they may have disagreement with.

Second, we are open and transparent about our mistakes, on the occasions we have not met our own standards of accuracy. We resist the temptation to quietly delete the errors we make. Instead, we take the deliberate step of highlighting the corrections we make to our articles by alerting readers to the inaccuracy we have fixed.

In our submission to the Select Committee during their hearings last year, we highlighted the need to put accountability front and centre in the words and ideas we convey and propagate. We stressed the importance of being accountable for and prepared to stand behind what we say.

We are hopeful that these measures, if implemented well, can help build and foster trust. A trusted media landscape can be of great benefit to society.

We have faith in the good judgement of our Singaporean audience. The stronger, more enduring response to a falsehood is not to eliminate it, but to correct it with an opposing idea and a more attractive belief.

Our response to the report

Our written representation can be found here.

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