Deepfakes, $50 intimate photos amid new digital regulations | S1E79 | In Your Opinion

Description

Singapore's new Online Safety Commission (OSC) rolls out to combat cyberbullying, deepfakes, and online harms. But will this law protect victims, or will trolls simply hide in darker corners? Imagine discovering that your face and voice have been hijacked, manipulated into a deepfake, and broadcast across the internet. It is a chilling violation of privacy, and it proves a terrifying point: no one is immune to online harms. As digital abuse, cyberbullying, and image-based violence become increasingly normalised, the rules of engagement are also shifting. Enter the Online Safety Commission (OSC) that Singapore is officially rolling out in June 2026. This new regulatory watchdog is designed to force tech giants to take down harmful content and give victims some respite from the harassment and bullying. But will this new law actually have the teeth to protect us? Or will trolls quickly invent new ways to circumvent it? In this episode of In Your Opinion, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with legal expert and founder of SG Her Empowerment (SHE) Stefanie Yuen Thio. Yuen Thio shares her personal ordeal as a deepfake victim and uncovers the severe realities of digital abuse facing youths in Singapore today – including the alarming normalisation of teenagers selling intimate photos for $50. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Highlights (click/tap above):  0:00 Introduction 3:14 Her experience surviving a deepfake attack 7:43 Getting harmful content taken down faster 9:57 What does the new Online Safety Commission (OSC) mean for victims 24:36 Youths selling their intimate photos for $50 27:22 The urgent need for age assurance technology Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg (mailto:lyndahong@sph.com.sg) )  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion P