Singapore blocks anti-Indian content online, says posts likely originated from China

Singapore has directed major social media platforms to block access to online content targeting the Indian community, with authorities saying the material appears to be linked to narratives that originated in the Chinese information space.

Announcing the move on Saturday, the Singapore High Commission in India highlighted action taken by the government against content that it said threatened the country's multicultural and multiracial social fabric.

As per a statement by the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs, under the Online Criminal Harms Act 2023, the Singapore Police Force has issued Disabling Directions to deal with content circulating on YouTube, Facebook and X, which target the Indian community and undermine Singapore’s model of multiculturalism.

The directions require the platforms to take all reasonable steps to disable access by Singapore users to these posts.

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The statement said that last month, narratives started circulating online in the Chinese information space that Singapore is displaying anxiety over our cultural identity and ethnic politics. Shortly thereafter, online content emerged containing inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity and suggesting that Singapore was being ”overrun by Indians”.

Rejecting the narratives, the ministry reiterated that Singapore firmly opposes xenophobia, racial prejudice and attempts to sow divisions between communities.

“Any attempt to pit one community against another must be firmly rejected,” the statement said.

The government also described the campaign as particularly concerning because it appeared to originate from an external source, warning that foreign interference aimed at undermining social cohesion and racial harmony would not be tolerated.

Singapore said it would continue to take decisive action against efforts to inflame ethnic tensions and urged citizens to exercise caution when consuming or sharing information online.

Authorities called on Singaporeans to remain vigilant and reject attempts to divide the country along racial or cultural lines.

With inputs from agencies