Shawn Goh
Shawn Goh
Hello! I'm Shawn 吴泽松. I study the social and policy implications of digital media and the Internet.
I recently completed my MSc in Social Science of the Internet at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. Prior to that, I was Research Assistant at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore.
My research interests include mis/disinformation; digital literacy and inclusion; online political behaviour; and policy and government communication.
Latest Publication
Singapore's fake news law: Countering populists' falsehoods and truth-making
Singapore has remained resilient against rising populism thus far. While experts previously highlighted the role that Singapore’s strong authoritarian state plays in acting as a safeguard, this chapter attempts to nuance the current picture. Using Singapore’s Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) as a case study, this chapter argues that the country’s resilience against rising populism, in particular against populists’ falsehoods and truth-making, stems from a combination of being calibrated in its design and use of a repressive tool like POFMA and remaining hyper-responsive to public reactions towards the use of the law. This has allowed the government to continue justifying strong-handed measures without implicating its credibility in a way that would allow populist opposition to challenge its legitimacy and make significant political gains in the long run.