Singapore blocks 14 anti-Indian posts under Harms Act

Singapore has ordered social media platforms to block access to 14 posts targeting the country's Indian community, citing a threat to racial harmony. The government said the content, which likely originated from a platform based in China, was designed to sow discord.

The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the police issued disabling directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act, requiring YouTube, Facebook, and X to take all reasonable steps to block Singapore users from accessing the posts. The ministry said the posts selectively used images of crowded streets in the Little India district and footage of Indian devotees at a religious festival to support false claims that Singapore is being overrun by Indians.

Officials described the posts as malicious efforts to incite ill-will and undermine the nation's model of multiculturalism. The ministry said the content likely constitutes a criminal offence for knowingly promoting feelings of enmity or hatred between racial groups, an offence punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine.

Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told reporters that investigations indicate the content originated overseas, likely from a...