Latest news with #MDDI
CNA
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
A look at the SG60 Heart&Soul Experience, a showcase that uses AI to personalise visitors' experience
SINGAPORE: Tickets for a flagship SG60 exhibition that uses generative artificial intelligence to create personalised experiences for visitors will be available from Tuesday (Jul 29). Titled SG60 Heart&Soul Experience, the event invites visitors to imagine their future in Singapore through immersive storytelling, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the National Library Board (NLB) said in a news release. The free showcase is jointly organised by both organisations and created by the same team behind the Singapore Bicentennial in 2019 and the SG50 Future of Us exhibition. A ticketed experience lasting 60 to 90 minutes will be held at the Orchard library, accompanied by non-ticketed installations at the level one atria of Orchard Central and Orchard Gateway. At a media preview, executive creative director Gene Tan described the exhibition as a journey through Singapore's past, present and future. "What we hope to see is a very personal national exhibition," he said, adding that visitors can view personal narratives of Singaporeans who lived through key moments of history. "But also, you'll have a personalised version of the future that's presented to you based on your aspirations," he said. "The twist, though, is that what you see in your future may not be what you expect." As part of their personalised journey, visitors can have a conversation with a digital librarian in a futuristic phone booth. There will also be a floor-to-ceiling multi-sensory space, where they can view a video created based on their responses to various interactive elements through the experience. "You'll be able to see a big surprise at the end, a video trailer of yourself, where you are the star of your own future," Mr Tan said. The experience is powered by generative AI, trained on data sets from more than 100 partners across the public, private and people sectors. When booking tickets, visitors may upload a photo to generate a personalised avatar, which will be used when they visit the showcase, or select one from a curated library. Mr Tan said the team takes data privacy seriously and will not retain any personal information collected during the experience. NLB chief executive Ng Cher Pong said the exhibition offers a 'glimpse into what the future in Singapore could hold'. 'Our hope is that this experience inspires optimism and confidence in Singaporeans as we look ahead to the next 60 years and beyond,' he said. The showcase is recommended for visitors aged seven and above and will run from Aug 26 to Dec 31. The non-ticketed installations will be open daily from 9am to 10pm.
Business Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Business Times
Records galore: Six things to know about the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore
[SINGAPORE] Not long after sundown on Thursday (Jul 10), President Tharman Shanmugaratnam declared the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore open, kickstarting 24 days of action that will, in all likelihood, see some record-breaking feats in the pool. At the opening ceremony held at the Esplanade's Singtel Waterfront Theatre, he spoke of how the world of aquatics has seen 'remarkable advances' in recent years, as records that were long unbroken – and even regarded as unbreakable in some instances – have been surpassed. The 22nd World Aquatics Championships is also an opportunity to celebrate the 'quiet but profound' way in which sport can unite people, even as we root for different teams. 'In a world increasingly divided, sport reminds us that we can strive together even as we compete, that we can demonstrate our common humanity,' said President Tharman. President Tharman graced the opening ceremony on Thursday that was held at the Esplanade's Singtel Waterfront Theatre. PHOTO: MDDI Among the 500-plus guests in attendance were World Aquatics president and former Kuwaiti national swimmer Husain Al-Musallam, several Singapore ministers, and some of the athletes from all over the world. The championships began on Friday morning with water polo and will finish with the final swimming and diving events on Aug 3. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Here are six things to know about the World Aquatics Championships: A first for South-east Asia Singapore is the first country in South-east Asia to host this championships, which is considered the second most prestigious aquatics event after the Olympic Games. It was back in February 2023 when it was announced that the Republic would stage the 2025 edition, taking over from Kazan, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Three competition venues Swimming and artistic swimming events will take place at the new 4,800-seater WCH Arena, which was built earlier this year on a former open-air car park next to the Leisure Park Kallang mall, a short walk from the National Stadium. The other two competition venues are the OCBC Aquatics Centre, where diving and water polo will take place; and Palawan Green in Sentosa, where spectators can catch the open water and high diving events. Record participation There will be over 2,500 athletes from 206 countries and territories competing across a record 77 medal events in six aquatics disciplines: swimming, artistic swimming, diving, high diving, open water swimming, and water polo. In a speech at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Husain also revealed that, for the first time, there will be more female swimmers than males at the global meet. Singapore is fielding a total of 72 athletes, its largest contingent to date. The group includes 32 athletes who are making their debut at the championships. Plenty of stars It is a star-studded affair in Singapore, with Paris 2024 gold medal winners Leon Marchand, Summer McIntosh, Katie Ledecky, Thomas Ceccon and Kaylee McKeown all set to race in the pool. Keep a lookout for Hungary's Kristof Rasovszky, the current world and Olympic champion in the men's 10 km open water swimming. For the women, Australia's Moesha Johnson is one to watch. She won a silver in the 10 km open swim in Paris and is one of the favourites to claim her first individual world title in Singapore. In diving, China made a clean sweep of all the gold medals at the Paris Games and at last year's world championships. If all goes according to plan, the likes of women's four-time 3-metre springboard world champion Yani Chang and the men's 10-m champion Hao Yang will take gold in Singapore too. In artistic swimming, Olympic champions China will probably dominate the team competitions once again. For the men's solo and mixed duet categories, check out the teams from the US, Japan, Ukraine and Spain who are all expected to do well. Emergence of more swimming medallists At the last championships held in Doha last year, 29 countries won swimming medals, which was the deepest medal table in the event's history. World Aquatics executive director Brent Nowicki is expecting to see that number surpassed in Singapore. 'The sport is really at that point where general dominance of individuals or countries is dissipating,' the American said at a press conference on Thursday. World Aquatics executive director Brent Nowicki (left) and World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam at a press conference in Singapore on Thursday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE 'We are seeing more rising stars. Will we see more than 30 world records? I don't know. Will we see more than 29 medallist countries? Yeah, maybe that's what I expect. If we can pull that off, that would be a real testament to the growth of our sport.' In Doha last year, the US won eight gold medals out of 20 overall in swimming, while China was second with seven golds from 11 medals. More prize money The Singapore edition will see athletes competing for a slice of a record prize money pool of more than US$6 million, with an additional US$30,000 world-record bonus in swimming. Last year in Doha, the total amount awarded was US$5.6 million. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the official website for details
AsiaOne
26-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Government asks private firms to stop using IC numbers to prove person's identity, Singapore News
Private organisations in Singapore should stop using National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers to prove a person's identity as soon as possible, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) has said. In a media release on Thursday (June 26), MDDI said that while NRIC numbers may be used to identify a person over the phone or when using digital services, it should not be used for authenticating access to private services or information meant only for that person. In a joint advisory issued the same day, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and Cyber Security Agency (CSA) said NRIC numbers are issued to uniquely identify a person and must be assumed to have been disclosed to at least a few other persons. Noting that organisations are responsible for deciding whether and how to authenticate their users, CSA said passwords are one such method of authenticating a person. Passwords that cannot be easily guessed should hence be used, it said, noting that passwords containing easily obtained information including names, NRIC numbers or birthdates do not make strong passwords. PDPC and CSA said in the advisory that default passwords, such as the ones required for password-protected files sent via e-mail, should not be NRIC numbers. Private organisations should also not combine the full or partial numbers with other easily obtainable personal data for authentication; for example, passwords that combine partial NRIC numbers and date of birth, like "567A01Jan80". [[nid:712707]] Even if an individual can state his NRIC number, organisations must be aware that he may not be who he claims to be. If it is necessary to authenticate persons, they should consider using other authentication method(s) and take a risk-based approach when deciding, taking into consideration factors like the value and sensitivity of the protected material and potential threats and vulnerabilities. Other options to authenticate a person include strong passwords, using a security token and fingerprint or facial verification. MDDI said the Government has been taking steps to ensure the proper use of NRIC numbers in the private sector, to better protect citizens, since January. The ministry added that the Government is also working with regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications to develop sector-specific guidance in the coming months. [[nid:715244]]
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Unsafe and risky': Singapore orders end to IC number use as authentication in private sector
SINGAPORE, June 26 – Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) has reportedly urged private sector entities to stop using National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers as authentication tools or passwords due to security risks. In a formal advisory issued today, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) advised organisations to cease using NRIC numbers to verify an individual's identity when granting access to personal services or information. 'While organisations may use NRIC numbers to identify who a person is over the phone or when using digital services, NRIC numbers should not be used to prove that a person is who he claims to be ... for the purposes of trying to gain access to services or information meant only for that person,' MDDI said as quoted by CNA. The ministry highlighted that some organisations still require individuals to use NRIC numbers, sometimes as passwords, to access personal documents such as insurance files. 'It is unsafe for organisations to use NRIC numbers in this manner because a person's NRIC number may be known to others, permitting anyone who knows his NRIC number to impersonate him and easily access his personal data or record,' the ministry said. MDDI called on organisations to stop using full or partial NRIC numbers for authentication, including setting them as default passwords or combining them with other easily obtainable data like birth dates. 'If it is necessary to authenticate a person, organisations should consider alternative methods, for example requiring the person to use strong passwords, security token or fingerprint identification,' it added. The government is working with key sectors such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications to develop tailored guidelines on identity authentication practices. This comes as Singapore's Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said in January that firms using NRIC numbers as authentication or default passwords must end the practice swiftly. The policy shift came after public backlash in December 2024 over a new Bizfile portal launched by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), which had exposed names and full NRIC numbers through its search function.
Business Times
26-06-2025
- Business Times
Government urges private sector to stop using full, partial NRIC numbers for authentication
[SINGAPORE] The Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and Cyber Security Agency (CSA) on Thursday (Jun 26) advised private organisations to stop using full or partial national registration identity card (NRIC) numbers for authentication. Authentication is the process of proving that a person is who he claims to be before granting him access to services or information intended solely for him, the PDPC and CSA said in a joint advisory posted on their websites. 'NRIC numbers should not be used to prove that a person is who he claims to be for the purposes of trying to gain access to services or information meant only for that person,' the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said in a statement on the same day. Companies that do use NRIC numbers for such purposes should 'transition away from (the) practice as soon as possible', the ministry said. This includes not setting NRIC numbers as default passwords and not using full or partial NRIC numbers with other easily obtainable personal data – such as by using passwords that combine parts of a person's NRIC number with his date of birth. The ministry noted that some private sector organisations currently require individuals to use their NRICs as passwords to access information intended solely for them, such as insurance documents. This practice is unsafe as a person's NRIC number may be known to others such that using it for authentication would permit anyone who knows the person's NRIC number to impersonate him and easily access his personal data or records, the MDDI said. 'If it is necessary to authenticate a person, organisations should consider alternative methods, for example requiring the person to use strong passwords, a security token or fingerprint identification,' the MDDI statement said. This comes on the back of government efforts, since January, to ensure the proper use of NRIC numbers in the private sector to better protect citizens, MDDI said.
