Singapore: Announced Online Trust and Safety Research Programme and the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety

On 10 January 2024, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) of Singapore announced the Online Trust and Safety (OTS) Research Programme and the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety (CATOS). The OTS programme, a USD 20 million initiative running from 2023 to 2028, is part of Singapore's Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan. Its objective is to develop local capabilities to combat new forms of online harm, including misinformation and content manipulation. CATOS, hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, aims to develop and customise tools for detecting harmful content, including deepfakes and non-factual claims. Additionally, CATOS will identify societal vulnerabilities and develop potential interventions, such as flagging mechanisms, and test 'Trust by Design' technologies. CATOS has been engaging with local researchers, technology developers, and industry stakeholders through workshops and seminars to build a professional network for online trust and safety. Over 100 participants and more than 30 professionals have been involved, leveraging multidisciplinary research to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange. The centre is set to be officially launched in the first half of 2024.