With the click of a button, Singapore's security forces could soon use a digital version of the city-state to simulate a bomb threat at a sports stadium - and learn how to respond if there was a real attack.
Reuters has describe 'Virtual Singapore' in a simple and concise manner. The National Research Foundation (NRF) government website has described it as a dynamic three-dimensional (3D) city model and collaborative data platform, including the 3D maps of Singapore.
This means Singapore will have its twin in a very detailed digital format, crammed with real-time, dynamic data that can be used to do simulations and virtual tests. On one side, it could help the small but powerful island to find solutions on urban problems they are facing.
On the other side, the collaboration between NRF and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) could cause new problems for the nation. In security, or to be exact: cybersecurity, for example.
"Too dangerous"
Some officials have expressed their concerns and even deemed the program worth SGD73 million (~USD53 million) "too dangerous".
“This information will help our daily lives, but it could also fall in the wrong hands and create problems for Singapore,” said George Loh, as cited by Reuters. "... If it is not accurate enough, nobody will use the platform. But if it’s too accurate, then there’s a problem. The question is the trade-off and how we address the threats that we would face"
He is the director of programs at the National Research Foundation, a department in the Prime Minister’s Office which has been leading the project’s development for over three years. Loh told the press agency that the government "need to be to two or three steps ahead."
Virtual Singapore will be available in the coming months for the state agencies and will be rolled out for the public afterward. It's said that Virtual Singapore will be restricted to computers without internet due to cybersecurity concerns.
Concerns on privacy, surveillance and security
Scott Hawken, a lecturer in urban development and design at the University of New South Wales in Australia, said that while the program is "the most advanced and comprehensive" 3D mapping and seen as role model for other countries, there are serious concerns on privacy, surveillance and security of the citizen.
The government pledged that Virtual Singapore, as part of the "Smart Nation" plan, will be sensitive of these concerns, especially on the matter of privacy. Loh said some data on Virtual Singapore may be anonymised to address those concerns.