Agnote, Jeceal B.

February 28, 2020

BTVTED 201 Technology for Teaching and Learning I (ProfEd PCK 3)

Topic: Freedom of Expression and Censorship

Title of Article: Singapore: Social media companies forced to cooperate with abusive
fake news law
Date & Time Published: 19 February 2020, 15:39 UTC
Writer: Amnesty International
Country involved: Singapore

The Singapore authorities are ramping up their use of a repressive “fake news”
law to silence critics and opponents ahead of elections, Amnesty International said
today, as Facebook expressed concerns over being forced to comply with an order to
block the page of a news site.

The Protection of Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (POFMA) came into
effect in October 2019, and since then has been repeatedly used to target critics and
political opponents.

On 17 February, Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, S

Iswaran, ordered Facebook to deny social-media users in Singapore access to the
Facebook page of States Times Review, an alternative media site which has been
critical of the government.

“The targeting of States Times Review is the latest proof that this law is simply a
tool for censorship. Social media companies are being forced to comply with
Singapore’s suppression of criticism online and the silencing of political opponents.”

POFMA provides for severe criminal penalties, including up to 10 years’

imprisonment, for anyone found guilty of breaking the law. It also requires social media
companies such as Facebook to remove content or display prominent corrections at the
government’s direction on their platforms, or face fines of up to SGD 1 million
(US$730,000). The law took effect in October 2019.

At least six POFMA directives have been issued this year. Two relate to
allegations of unlawful methods of executions carried out in Singapore’s Changi prison,
and four relate to information circulating about the coronavirus. The directive against the
States Times Review Facebook page followed several refusals by the website’s editor
to comply with orders to post corrections, including to information it shared about
Coronavirus. The editor of the States Times Review has since said that they will transfer
ownership to another website.

“The law is vaguely worded and can be wielded completely at whim by the
government to suppress any form of dissent. Singapore must abolish this law and
ensure every individual can exercise their right to freedom of expression without fear of
reprisals.”

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have strongly criticized

POFMA. Introduced by the government to supposedly “protect society” from online
falsehoods powers to clamp down on dissenting views.

While the government argues that the law is necessary to combat online
misinformation, it clearly contravenes Singapore’s international obligations in respect to
freedom of expression, and does not include public interest clauses.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/singapore-social-media-abusive-fake-
news-law/