We thank Ms Megan Tan Yun Xuan (Start teaching young students media literacy) and Mr Tan Kar Quan (Education better than just tech to combat fake news, both on July 13) for their feedback.

With the speed and virality of the spread of falsehoods online, and the introduction of new digital technologies, we need a spread of tools to move swiftly against online falsehoods.

Legislation is a necessary part of our multi-pronged approach, as it enables us to quickly address and stem the damage from falsehoods that harm the public interest.

Public education is an equally important tool in our approach. We agree that a discerning and well-informed public is our best defence against online falsehoods.

The Government works closely with and supports partners in their information and media literacy programmes.

For instance, the National Library Board's Source. Understand. Research. Evaluate (Sure) programme teaches students, working adults and the general public how to discern false information.

There is also the Media Literacy Council's Better Internet Campaign, which promotes safe and responsible use of digital technology.

In schools, the Ministry of Education has rolled out a New Media Literacies toolkit as a teaching resource, which provides lesson ideas on how teachers might infuse new media literacies in any subject area. The toolkit has been made available to all primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges.

To guide public education efforts in information and media literacy, the Ministry of Communications and Information recently launched the Digital Media and Information Literacy Framework, with a view to empower Singaporeans to be discerning producers and consumers of information (visit www.digitalreadiness.sg/literacy for details).

All of us can play our part in using technology safely and responsibly, by giving due consideration to the consequences of our online actions, being vigilant against fake news and online scams, and not forwarding a story or news when we are unsure of its veracity.

As we strengthen our digital and media literacy as a community, and are equipped with legislation for swift action when the need arises, we can build resilience as a society against the harms of falsehoods.

Rachel Chen

Director, Digital Readiness and Learning

Ministry of Communications and Information