Can “Fake News” Be Fought With Law?

Singapore’s parliament last week overwhelmingly voted in favour of controversial legislation that gives the authorities sweeping new powers to order the correction or removal of online content. The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act will come into force in the next few weeks, enabling the government to order the removal of content considered to be “falsehoods” that are “against the public interest”. Can the law actually fight the spread of “fake news”?