Written Answer · 2026-05-06 · Parliament 15
Accuracy Benchmarks and Liability Frameworks for Intelligence Deepfake Detector Before Public Rollout and Integrating Real-Time Media Verification into ScamShield
Workers' Party MP Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information in writing what technical accuracy benchmarks or liability frameworks the Intelligent Deepfake Detector (INDEPTH) must meet before transitioning from public service use to public use, and whether the Government will pilot a verification API within the ScamShield app to give citizens real-time risk scores for suspicious media. Minister Josephine Teo replied that INDEPTH is a deepfake detection platform designed specifically for Government agencies and is not intended for public use; revealing its detection capabilities would not be in the public interest as malicious actors may exploit such information. On ScamShield, she explained the app — built by Open Government Products with the National Crime Prevention Council and the Singapore Police Force — blocks verified scam calls, filters scam SMSes, and lets users check and report suspicious calls, messages and links, including content showing signs of digital manipulation such as deepfakes. The Government will keep strengthening its detection capabilities and public education, but has no plans at this juncture for a real-time risk-scoring verification API. The tension: the opposition wants government-grade detection tools in citizens' hands; the Government declines on security-through-secrecy grounds.
Key Points
- • Sylvia Lim asked what accuracy and liability bar INDEPTH must clear before public release
- • Josephine Teo: INDEPTH is for government agencies only; revealing capabilities risks exploitation
- • ScamShield already lets users report suspicious messages and links showing deepfake signs
- • No plans at this juncture for a real-time risk-scoring verification API in ScamShield
INDEPTH stays a government-only platform — its capabilities will not be disclosed lest malicious actors exploit them — while public protection relies on strengthening ScamShield's existing features, with no real-time risk-scoring API planned.
WP's Sylvia Lim pushed for deepfake detection capability to reach the public, asking for clear technical and liability thresholds for opening up INDEPTH and proposing a real-time verification API pilot in ScamShield.
On deepfake defence, the Government is holding a capability-secrecy line: detection tools stay inside government rather than being handed to the public, with citizen protection routed through incremental ScamShield upgrades and public education instead of detection-as-a-service.
"It is not in the public interest to reveal its detection capabilities as malicious actors may exploit such information."
Participants (2)
Original Text (English)
SPRS Hansard · Fetched: 2026-06-09
30 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what technical accuracy benchmarks or liability frameworks must the Intelligent Deepfake Detector (INDEPTH) meet before it is transitioned from public service use to public use; and (b) whether the Government will pilot a verification API within the ScamShield app to provide citizens with real-time risk scores for suspicious media.
Mrs Josephine Teo : INDEPTH is a deepfake detection platform designed specifically for Government agencies and is not intended for public use. It is not in the public interest to reveal its detection capabilities as malicious actors may exploit such information.
The ScamShield app was developed by Open Government Products in collaboration with the National Crime Prevention Council and the Singapore Police Force to protect the public from scams. It blocks scam calls from numbers verified by the authorities and filters scam SMSes. It also allows users to check and report suspicious calls, messages, such as SMS, WhatsApp and Telegram, and website links, including those that may show signs of digital manipulation, such as deepfakes. The Government will continue to strengthen ScamShield's existing scam detection capabilities and reporting channels and step up public education to better protect users from evolving scam tactics. There are no plans at this juncture to develop a verification API within the ScamShield app to provide real-time risk scores for suspicious media.