Second round of Pofma sanctions for owner of The Online Citizen’s website, social media accounts

The people behind The Online Citizen’s (TOC) website and Facebook, Instagram and X pages will continue to be barred from deriving any financial benefits from the running of its platforms till 2027.

In a statement on June 11, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said TOC’s website and social media pages – which were labelled as Declared Online Locations (DOLs) – had been declared as such in July 2023, and the designation was due to expire on July 21, 2025.

DOLs have to comply with actions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) that would prevent their operator from financially benefiting during the period they are listed as one.

However, said MDDI, TOC “continued to communicate falsehoods through its online platforms over the past two years”.

Between July 2023 and June 2025, it received eight correction directions under the fake news law. These included one on Feb 25, after TOC published an article about modification works at the Ridout Road colonial bungalow leased by Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam’s wife.

In its article, it said the Singapore Land Authority had given Mr Shanmugam assurances of a lease extension beyond its 2027 expiry, and that public funds were used to pay for the earthworks carried out at the bungalow since 2024, among other claims. These are falsehoods, said MDDI.

As a result of the eight correction directions, TOC’s website and social media pages have again been labelled DOLs, a move necessary “to ensure Singaporeans continue to be alerted to TOC’s record of communicating falsehoods”, said the ministry.

The new declaration comes into effect immediately after the current direction expires and will remain till July 21, 2027 at 12pm.

TOC will be able to continue its operations, but will have to carry a notice on its online platforms to notify its audience that it has been declared a DOL.

The notice will also have to state that it had “communicated multiple falsehoods” and that its viewers should exercise caution when accessing it for information.

MDDI added that service providers, including digital advertising agencies, will have to take steps to ensure that their paid content on TOC’s platforms is not made available in Singapore.

“Individuals and companies must also not provide financial support to TOC’s DOLs to avoid promoting the communication of falsehoods in Singapore on these platforms,” it added.

There are three other outlets currently listed as DOLs. They are Transformative Justice Collective’s website and social media pages, and Gutzy Asia’s website and social media pages, as well as opposition politician Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s website and social media pages.

A provision under Pofma allows the Government to order an internet intermediary to disable access to a DOL if the owner of the DOL does not comply with the declaration and paid content on the site continues to be displayed to users here. If an internet intermediary fails to comply and is convicted, it can be fined up to $20,000 for each day that the government order is not fully complied with, up to a total of $500,000.

The owner or operator of a DOL can however apply to the Minister for Digital Development and Information to suspend, vary or cancel the declaration. If the minister rejects the application, an appeal can be made to the High Court.

Aqil Hamzah is a journalist covering breaking news at The Straits Times, with interests in crime and technology.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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