Singapore – Formation Of The Info- Communications Media Development Authority And Government Technology Organisation.

14 April, 2016

 

On 15 January 2016, noting the convergence of the info-communications and media sectors due to rapid technological advancements, the Minister for Communications and Information (Minister) announced in Parliament that the Info- communications Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) will be restructured to form a new info-communications and media regulator, the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). As part of the restructuring process, the Government Chief Information Office that currently functions within the IDA will be restructured as an independent entity, the Government Technology Organisation (GTO). The Minister noted that these measures will ensure that Singapore remains adaptable to technological developments and advancements, and will be well-placed to seize economic opportunities.

 

The restructuring follows the launch, in August 2015, of the Infocomm Media 2025 plan, the first integrated industry development plan for the info- communications and media sectors. It also recognises the importance of the digital economy in transforming many sectors of the economy, as well as the need to support the transformation of government service delivery through even more intensive use of Information Technology (IT).

 

In a further speech in Parliament on 26 January 2016, the Minister remarked that info- communications media technologies have fundamentally disrupted established business models. For example, the biggest taxi company in the world, Uber, does not own a single car, and the largest purveyor of accommodation in the world, Airbnb, owns no hotel rooms. Recognising that these changes will only accelerate, the Minister stated that the motivation to restructure the IDA and MDA is to help Singapore seize opportunities presented by technological changes, for example, in the areas of convergence (i.e., the increasing overlap between information and communications technology (ICT) and media), Big Data, and the Internet of Things. The Minister also noted that as technology changes and matures, the new GTO will help the Singapore Government understand and use technology boldly to deliver better public services.

 

Role of new Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore

 

The IMDA will be Singapore’s newly converged regulator in the info-communications and media sectors. It will combine the regulatory functions of the IDA, which presently regulates the info- communications sector, and the MDA, which presently regulates the media sector.

 

In announcing the formation of the IMDA, the Singapore Government expressly recognised that a key driver of the restructuring is the phenomenon of increasing convergence between the info-communications and media sectors, which has blurred the traditional distinction between telecommunications and broadcasting. The newly converged regulator, IMDA, is expected to develop and regulate the converging info-communications and media sectors in a holistic way. In this regard, the IMDA will be expected to:

 

(a) spearhead the Infocomm Media Masterplan 2025;

(b) oversee policy formulation for the converged environment;

(c) deepen regulatory capabilities for a converged infocomm and media sector;

(d) safeguard the interests of consumers; and

(e) foster pro-enterprise regulations.

 

The Minister has also announced that the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) will be incorporated into the new IMDA, in order to bring about better policy synergy. The PDPC is the authority responsible for administering and enforcing the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA), which establishes Singapore’s general data protection law. With increasingly pervasive use of data, the Singapore Government will continue to promote and regulate data protection in Singapore through the PDPC. This will ensure that public confidence in the private sector’s use of personal data is safeguarded, even as companies increasingly leverage the data they collect as a source of competitive advantage.

 

Role of new Government Technology Organisation

 

The GTO will include all the functions of IDA’s Government Chief Information Office in providing enterprise IT solutions to over 90 Government agencies, governing ICT standards within public agencies and coordinating the three-year ICT masterplans across Government for more effective procurement of ICT services.

 

As the Singapore Government continues to adopt new and emerging technologies for better service delivery, the GTO will be expected to safeguard Government digital services against cyber threats. Further, the GTO will be expected to provide robust and cyber-resilient information technology services for the Government.

 

With an expanded mandate to grow new technology capabilities, the new GTO will lead digital transformation efforts in the public sector. The GTO is expected to help government agencies capitalise on the speed of innovation and new technology trends such as robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and Big Data. Further, the GTO will also play a vital role in supporting Singapore’s Smart Nation vision, especially in delivering the Smart Nation Platform and Smart Nation applications. In addition, the GTO will also focus on developing new technology capabilities as well as attracting and nurturing ICT engineering talent that will provide a strong foundation for Singapore’s Smart Nation ambitions.

 

Potential impact on the regulatory framework

 

The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) has announced that the IMDA and GTO will be established in the second half of 2016. In preparation for the formal establishment of the two new bodies, the IDA and MDA will be administratively re-organised from 1 April 2016.

 

The existing regulatory framework, where the IDA and the MDA are presently the regulators for the info-communications and media sectors respectively, are expected to undergo a number of changes. The Minister has stated in Parliament that as a unified authority, the IMDA will be able to enact competition and consumer protection regulations in a more holistic and progressive manner. The Telecommunications Act, Broadcasting Act and Films Act will also be updated to keep pace with the demands of the converged info-communications media space.

 

The Minister also noted the need to ensure that the Smart Nation initiative is built upon a secure, robust and resilient infrastructure. To this end, a national cyber security strategy will be developed to strengthen Singapore’s information infrastructure, and a Cyber Security Bill will be introduced in order to give the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore greater powers to secure Singapore’s critical information infrastructure.