# AI AVATAR PRODUCTION — SEA VARIANT (Disclosure Law)

> **Region:** Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam excluded — see VN skill)
> **Primary law structure:** Country-by-country; no regional treaty equivalent to EU AI Act
> **Common principle:** Disclose for material connection (paid / free product / family / employer)
> **Penalty range:** Mostly warnings + corrective actions; financial penalties rising

---

## Legal foundation — Per-country snapshot

| Country | Regulator | Key code | AI-specific law (2025-2026) |
|---------|-----------|----------|----------------------------|
| Singapore (SG) | ASAS, MCI | Singapore Code of Advertising Practice | No standalone AI law; AI Governance Framework (advisory) |
| Malaysia (MY) | MCMC, KKMM | Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 | AI Roadmap 2026-2030 (advisory) |
| Indonesia (ID) | KOMINFO, BPOM (health), AKARI | PP 71/2019 (ITE Law) | Cyber Law amendments; SE Menkominfo (advisory) |
| Thailand (TH) | NBTC, OCPB | Consumer Protection Act | Draft AI Act under review |
| Philippines (PH) | DTI, AdStandards Council | Consumer Act of the Philippines | AI Roadmap 2024 (advisory) |

> **Important:** Across SEA, the trend is toward stricter AI labeling, but laws lag. Platform policies (Meta, TikTok, YouTube) are the de facto enforcement layer.

---

## Singapore (SG) — ASAS Code

The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) enforces the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP).

### Disclosure rules

- Material connection must be **clearly disclosed**
- Hashtag-only disclosure (`#ad`) is acceptable IF clearly visible
- Native English on-screen: `#ad`, `#sponsored`, `#partner`, or "Paid partnership"
- Brand-influencer code (BIC) by AAS (Association of Advertising Singapore) recommends in-video text

### AI specifics

- No specific AI disclosure law (as of 2025-2026)
- Singapore IMDA's Model AI Governance Framework (Generative AI, 2024) recommends disclosure but is **not mandatory**
- PDPA 2012 protects personal data — consent required for voice/face clone of SG residents

### Recommended template

```
On-screen first 3s: "#Ad — AI avatar — [Brand]"
Spoken: "Quick heads-up — this is sponsored by [Brand], and I'm using an AI avatar."
Description: "#ad #sponsored — Partnered with [Brand]. AI-generated content."
```

---

## Indonesia (ID) — AKARI + BPOM + KOMINFO

The Indonesian Influencer Marketing Association (AKARI) issued voluntary guidelines aligned with KOMINFO and consumer protection laws.

### Disclosure rules

- AKARI guideline: clearly mark sponsored content
- Acceptable tags: `#ad`, `#sponsored`, `#endorse`, `#kerjasama` (collaboration), `#berbayar` (paid)
- Stricter for **health products**: BPOM (food/drug agency) requires explicit "iklan" (advertisement) label
- Stricter for **financial products**: OJK requires risk disclosure

### AI specifics

- No standalone AI law; Cyber Law (UU ITE) covers misleading content broadly
- Personal Data Protection Law (UU PDP, 2022, fully effective Oct 2024) requires consent for biometric data
- KOMINFO Circular SE 9/2023 on Generative AI is advisory: disclose AI-generated content

### Recommended template

```
On-screen first 3s: "#Iklan — Avatar AI — [Brand]"
Spoken: "Halo, video ini iklan dari [Brand], dibuat dengan avatar AI."
Description: "#iklan #endorse — Berkolaborasi dengan [Brand]. Konten yang dibuat dengan AI."
```

---

## Thailand (TH) — OCPB + NBTC

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) enforces the Consumer Protection Act.

### Disclosure rules

- Sponsored content requires labeling
- Common hashtag: `#โฆษณา` (advertisement), `#ผู้สนับสนุน` (sponsor), `#sponsored`
- Influencers increasingly fined for non-disclosure (2024-2025 enforcement uptick)
- For health / cosmetic claims: FDA Thailand requires pre-approval

### AI specifics

- Draft Thailand AI Act under review (2024-2026); not yet in force
- Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA Thailand, 2022) requires consent for biometric data
- ETDA (Electronic Transactions Development Agency) issued AI ethical guidelines (advisory)

### Recommended template

```
On-screen first 3s: "#โฆษณา — AI Avatar — [Brand]"
Spoken: "วิดีโอนี้เป็นโฆษณาจาก [Brand] สร้างด้วย AI Avatar"
(Romanized: "Wee-dee-o nee bpen kosaa-na jaak [Brand] sang duay AI Avatar")
Description: "#โฆษณา #ผู้สนับสนุน — Sponsored by [Brand]. AI-generated content."
```

---

## Philippines (PH) — DTI + AdStandards Council

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Ad Standards Council (ASC) regulate advertising.

### Disclosure rules

- Sponsored content must be labeled
- Common tags: `#ad`, `#sponsored`, `#paidpartnership`, "Bayad" (paid)
- DTI guidelines for influencer marketing (2022) emphasize material connection disclosure
- Tagalog or English both acceptable; bilingual disclosure ideal

### AI specifics

- No standalone AI law (as of 2025-2026)
- Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA) protects biometric data — NPC (National Privacy Commission) enforces consent
- Philippine AI Roadmap 2024 (DOST) is advisory

### Recommended template

```
On-screen first 3s: "#Ad — AI avatar — [Brand]"
Spoken: "Heads up, sponsored ito ng [Brand], at AI avatar gamit ko."
Description: "#ad #sponsored — Paid partnership with [Brand]. AI-generated content."
```

---

## Malaysia (MY) — MCMC + KKMM

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Ministry of Communications (KKMM) regulate digital content.

### Disclosure rules

- Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 covers misleading content
- Hashtag disclosure standard: `#ad`, `#iklan` (Malay), `#sponsored`, `#paidpartnership`
- For health products: National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) requires "Iklan" label
- Heavy penalties for misleading health/financial promotion

### AI specifics

- No standalone AI law (as of 2025-2026); AI Roadmap 2026-2030 in development
- Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA Malaysia) requires consent for personal data; biometric data treated as sensitive
- MyDIGITAL / Malaysia AI Roadmap encourages voluntary disclosure

### Recommended template

```
On-screen first 3s: "#Iklan — AI avatar — [Brand]"
Spoken: "Hi, video ini iklan dari [Brand], guna AI avatar."
Description: "#iklan #ad — Tajaan [Brand]. Kandungan yang dijana dengan AI."
```

---

## Common SEA principles

### Universal rule of thumb

When in doubt, disclose. Hashtag + spoken disclosure + on-screen text covers all SEA jurisdictions.

### Multi-language audiences

For brands targeting multiple SEA countries with the same content:
- Use English `#ad` as a baseline
- Add local-language tag in description (`#iklan`, `#ผู้สนับสนุน`)
- Spoken disclosure in the language of the video

### Cross-border platform enforcement

Meta, TikTok, YouTube enforce GLOBAL AI labeling policies. If your content reaches SEA audiences:
- Meta auto-detects AI -> "AI info" label appears
- TikTok requires self-labeling for synthetic media
- YouTube monetized videos require "Altered content" disclosure

This means: **even if local SEA law doesn't require disclosure, platforms do.**

---

## Biometric / personal data consent (cross-SEA)

| Country | Law | Consent requirement |
|---------|-----|---------------------|
| Singapore | PDPA 2012 | Explicit consent for sensitive data, including biometric |
| Indonesia | UU PDP 2022 (full effect Oct 2024) | Explicit consent for biometric; high penalties |
| Thailand | PDPA 2022 | Explicit consent for biometric; max THB 5M fine |
| Philippines | DPA 2012 | Consent for personal info; sensitive personal info needs explicit |
| Malaysia | PDPA 2010 (amendments 2024) | Consent for sensitive data; updates 2024 |

### Universal consent template (SEA)

```
VOICE / FACE CLONE CONSENT — SEA

I, [Full name, NRIC/IC/passport], consent to [Company / App name]
processing my voice / facial likeness for the purpose of:
[Specific purpose, platforms, brands].

Term: [X months / Until revoked]
Right to withdraw: I can withdraw consent at any time by contacting [DPO email].
Data processors: [List of AI tools]
Cross-border transfer: [If any — note safeguards]

Signature: _______________
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
NRIC / IC / Passport: [...]
```

---

## SEA-specific checklist before publishing

- [ ] Country-specific tag used (`#iklan` for ID/MY, `#โฆษณา` for TH, `#ad` for SG/PH)?
- [ ] If health/financial product: pre-approval from local regulator?
- [ ] If voice/face clone: written consent under local PDPA / DPA?
- [ ] Platform AI label applied (Meta / TikTok / YouTube)?
- [ ] If multi-country campaign: localized disclosure per language?
- [ ] If audience under 16/18: parental consent layer (varies by country)?

---

## Country comparison cheat sheet

| Country | Sponsored tag | Penalty (AI label miss) | Health pre-approval |
|---------|---------------|------------------------|---------------------|
| Singapore | `#ad` / `#sponsored` | Warning -> SGD fine | HSA approval |
| Indonesia | `#iklan` / `#endorse` | Warning -> IDR fine + BPOM | BPOM mandatory |
| Thailand | `#โฆษณา` | THB fine + FDA action | FDA TH mandatory |
| Philippines | `#ad` / `#bayad` | DTI warning -> fine | FDA PH mandatory |
| Malaysia | `#iklan` | MCMC warning -> RM fine | NPRA mandatory |

---

## References

- Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (ASAS / AAS)
- Singapore IMDA Model AI Governance Framework — Generative AI (2024)
- AKARI Guidelines on Influencer Marketing (Indonesia)
- KOMINFO SE 9/2023 on Generative AI (Indonesia)
- Thailand PDPA 2022 + draft AI Act
- Philippines DTI Influencer Marketing Guidelines (2022)
- Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 + PDPA 2010 (2024 amendments)
- ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics (2024)

---

*SEA Variant | Skill 24 (AI Avatar Production Global) | v1.0.0*
