WHETHER IT’S you wanting safety from a dubious scam link on your phone, or your kids needing a guide through the tricky terrain of social media, or researchers wanting a boost for calculating the next big AI breakthrough, Smart Nation 2.0 is here to make sure all Singaporeans thrive in this digital future.
“In Smart Nation 1.0, we focused on building up capabilities and encouraging the use of technology,” said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong when launching our nation’s refreshed digital strategy earlier this week (1 Oct). “For our next phase, or Smart Nation 2.0, we aim to sharpen our focus and use technology more effectively.”
Accordingly, the Trust goal of Smart Nation 2.0 involves setting up a dedicated agency to aid victims of online harms. New legislation and measures to provide stronger assistance to these victims are also coming.
“We will support victims of online harm with more timely, and effective relief,” also said PM Wong. “They must be able to turn to a trusted source of support who can act on their behalf to direct perpetrators and service providers to put a stop to the harms.”
This trust-building goal is especially vital in this age of online scams and sexual harassment, cyberbullying and malicious digital disruptions.
Meanwhile, there will be a new Code of Practice for online stores. “It will require app distribution services to have age assurance measures, so we can protect children from downloading inappropriate apps,” said PM Wong.
This new Code comes under the Community goal of Smart Nation 2.0.
The final key goal of Smart Nation 2.0, Growth, plans for investments in Singapore’s world-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem. There is also a Ministry of Education-Ministry of Digital Development scholarship for teachers to learn about digital trends — and in turn design educational materials for other educators.
Importantly, all these Smart Nation goals are human-centered ones. They are the PAP Government providing a refreshed digital roadmap for Singaporeans.
Our Government takes action for human-centred technology
“Technology must be about people: Empowering people, supporting people, creating opportunities for people. I look forward to the next 10 years, as we build Smart Nation 2.0,” said MP Tan Wu Meng (Jurong GRC) who went viral globally earlier this year for his speech on how everyday Singaporeans can best harness AI during the coming years.
Here, the first iteration of Smart Nation laid the groundwork for Singaporeans in this digital era.
In 2014, then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong outlined his plans to turn Singapore into the world’s first Smart Nation, where life would be “about using technology to solve problems we face, and making a positive difference to people’s lives”.
Singpass, e-payment networks and online PAP Government services are some of the results of this plan — they now are part of a more convenient, more digitally-connected everyday life for Singaporeans.
And in times of crisis like the COVID pandemic, Trace Together kept Singaporeans from the spread of the virus, averting catastrophe.
Concurrently, the SG Digital Office has trained more than 340,000 seniors in digital skills and helped over 11,000 hawkers adopt e-payment technology. Virtually all — 99 per cent — of resident households are connected to the Internet, versus 88 per cent at the start of Smart Nation in 2014. There are now 200,000 tech professionals too, up a quarter from 160,000 in 2018.
“Over the last decade, we have made great strides. In the next 10 years, we can reach even greater heights,” said PM Wong. “Let us work together to build a better home for all — a Singapore brimming with exciting opportunities.”