s 42M Corrective directions for online election advertising
42M.—(1) Where the Returning Officer reasonably believes that an offence under section 42B, 42C, 42E, 42J, 42L, 42LA, 60B, 60C or 65(5) is being or has been committed, resulting in or involving publishing in Singapore by electronic means any online election advertising, the Returning Officer may, by written direction, require a relevant person —(a) to do one or more of the following as the Returning Officer considers appropriate:(i) to take all reasonable steps to ensure the removal, from the social media service, relevant electronic service or internet access service (as the case may be) of the online election advertising identified in the direction; (ii) to take all reasonable steps to disable access to the online election advertising on the social media service, relevant electronic service or internet access service (as the case may be) by end-users in Singapore who use or may use the service; (iii) to take all reasonable steps so as to stop or reduce electronic communications activity involving, provision of or access to, or further electronic communications activity involving, further provision of or access to, that online election advertising by end-users in Singapore of the social media service, relevant electronic service or internet access service; and (b) to do so within the period specified in the written direction, or any extension of that period that the Returning Officer may allow in any particular case.[Act 34 of 2024 wef 22/01/2025] (2) Any relevant person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a direction given under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —(a) in the case of a provider of a social media service — to a fine not exceeding $1,000,000; or (b) in any other case — to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.[Act 34 of 2024 wef 22/01/2025] (2A) A candidate may make a request in the prescribed form and manner for the Returning Officer to give a direction under subsection (1) in respect of an offence under section 42LA.[Act 34 of 2024 wef 22/01/2025] (2B) A candidate commits an illegal practice if he or she —(a) knowingly makes a false or misleading declaration in a request under subsection (2A); or (b) makes a request under subsection (2A) knowing that a material particular of the request is false or misleading.[Act 34 of 2024 wef 22/01/2025] (3) In this section, “relevant person” means —(a) a candidate at an election; (b) a third party in relation to an election who is connected with the commission of the offence but not a person mentioned in paragraph (c); or (c) a provider of a social media service, a relevant electronic service or an internet access service.[Act 9 of 2023 wef 01/06/2023]