Singapore orders social media sites to block content, likely from China-based platform, targeting Indian community

SINGAPORE: Three social media platforms have been ordered to block access to 14 posts which “target the Indian community and undermine Singapore’s model of multiculturalism”, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Saturday (Jun 6).

The police have issued disabling directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) to block access to the posts on YouTube, Facebook and X, MHA said in a statement.

The direction requires the platforms to “take all reasonable steps to disable access by Singapore users to these posts”, it added.

Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told reporters at Siglap South Community Centre on Saturday that "from what we know so far, the content originated from overseas".

Investigations into the problematic content in these posts had revealed that it likely originated from a China-based platform, and was subsequently shared by other platforms and websites.

"These videos attack our multiracial society and they try to divide people based on race. This, however, is not who we are. Every community in Singapore here is valued and everyone has an equal place," said Mr Tong, who is also Minister for Law.

"These videos strike at the very foundation of what makes Singapore home for all of us and they undermine the very basis of our society."

Mr Tong said the government does not tolerate any narratives that seek to undermine Singapore's racial harmony, "especially when it is propagated by foreigners".

Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said his ministry has taken firm action.

"For some reason, we now see videos from overseas that attack one community and seek to divide us on racial lines," he said in a Facebook post. 

"This is unacceptable," he added, reiterating MHA's statement, which said Singapore firmly opposes "nativism and xenophobia". 

"Any attempt to pit one community against another here must be firmly rejected,” said MHA. "These attacks coming from a foreign source are doubly unacceptable."

NARRATIVES CIRCULATED IN CHINESE ONLINE SPACES

Mr Tong said that there is currently no evidence to suggest that this is a coordinated campaign by any government. Investigations have shown that the content was likely generated organically by various foreign netizens, he added.

"I would say any country seeking to safeguard its social cohesion would agree with us that such content is unacceptable, and would take a similar stance to safeguard their own society," he said.

The social media posts, which include videos, portray various claims that Singapore is displaying anxiety over its cultural identity and ethnic politics. Such narratives started circulating online in the Chinese information space in May, MHA said.

“Shortly thereafter, online content emerged containing inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity and suggesting that Singapore was being overrun by Indians,” said the ministry.

These social media posts claimed that the country’s multiracial policy is a "facade" meant to appeal to "Western values", and that Singapore’s stability cannot be attributed to its multiracial policy, but to its majority Chinese demographic.

The content in these posts also claimed that there are growing numbers of ethnic Indian politicians in Singapore who would act in favour of Indian immigrants.

It also claimed that Singapore’s culture is fundamentally Chinese, and the government’s approach of “decoupling” itself from China while neglecting the threat of a growing Indian community, would lead to a negative outcome.

Images and footage of crowded streets along Little India - likely taken on a weekend when migrant workers were on their day off - and Indian devotees at a religious festival along Pagoda Street, were also selectively used to back claims that Singapore is “overcrowded” with Indians.

“They also used derogatory and demeaning language to refer to the Indian community in Singapore, for example, comparing increases in their numbers to ‘concentration of curry’,” said MHA.

MALICIOUS EFFORTS TO SOW DISCORD

MHA said that it has observed deliberate attempts to spread more of such content in Singapore’s local information space.

These are malicious efforts to sow discord by inciting ill will against the Indian community in the country, said the ministry.

“This includes Indian migrant workers in sectors such as construction who are here to make an honest living,” it said.

“They contribute to Singapore’s growth and development, and are valued members of our society.”

The problematic content likely breaches Section 298A of the Penal Code for knowingly promoting feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different groups on grounds of race, or committing an act prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different racial groups in Singapore, said the ministry.

The offence carries a punishment of up to three years’ jail and a fine.

The Singapore government takes a serious view of threats to the country’s social cohesion and racial harmony, including from external actors, and will act resolutely against them, it added.

Mr Tong said the government will continue to monitor the sites very closely and will not hesitate to take further measures "if we regard it to be in Singapore’s interests".

"More importantly, I think Singaporeans should also be discerning and careful with what they are consuming online, and also question the source or intention of such videos. And, don’t disseminate them if they may harm our social fabric or our social harmony," he said.

CNA has contacted Meta, Google and X for comment.