2 websites linked to digital news portal The Online Citizen required to comply with POFMA sanctions

In a recent move aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation, Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) has designated two websites operated by The Online Citizen (TOC) as Declared Online Locations (DOLs) under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA). This designation applies to TOC's alternate website and another platform called Heidoh, which was established by TOC's operator in 2025. The decision comes amid concerns over repeated instances where TOC has been found to disseminate false information, particularly regarding sensitive political and public policy issues.

The new designations will take effect starting from Wednesday and remain valid until 12pm on June 30, 2028. This follows earlier actions taken against TOC, where its primary website, along with its presence on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, was declared a DOL in June 2025. That designation lasted until July 27, 2027, due to the organization's continued dissemination of misleading content on subjects ranging from the death penalty to financial aid programs.

Under the POFMA framework, sites labeled as DOLs are mandated to inform users that they have communicated multiple falsehoods and urge caution when accessing them for reliable information. Additionally, operators of such sites are prohibited from deriving any financial or material benefit from running them. However, according to MDDI, since the newly designated websites operate under different URLs, they are not bound by the same obligations as previously declared DOLs. This has enabled TOC to continue generating revenue through advertising on these alternate platforms.

The alternate website of TOC shares the same domain name as its main site and maintains a similar visual identity. Starting in May, TOC began redirecting visitors from its primary site to this alternate location via links placed prominently on its homepage. Most of the content now appears exclusively on the alternate site, while Heidoh has also been used to republish some of TOC’s articles.

MDDI highlighted that TOC has a documented history of spreading falsehoods through these new channels. In March, both the alternate website and Heidoh received two POFMA correction directions each for publishing false information. One instance involved an article claiming that Attorney-General Lucien Wong had not recused himself from matters related to the purchase of 38 Oxley Road, the former residence of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. Another claim falsely suggested that Workers' Party leader Sylvia Lim was prevented from asking follow-up questions during a parliamentary discussion on AG Wong's reappointment. There was also a misleading assertion that AGs must retire at age 60, despite Mr. Wong being 72 years old.

Another POFMA correction direction was issued following an article that contained inaccurate statements about the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, K Shanmugam. The article claimed that he intentionally provided incomplete responses to parliamentary inquiries concerning Singaporeans potentially serving in the Israeli Defense Forces. It further implied that the government possessed specific information about these individuals, including their identities.

In response to these developments, MDDI stated that given TOC's ongoing efforts to propagate falsehoods on these alternate sites and its attempts to evade the DOL requirements applied to its previous platforms, the Minister for Digital Development and Information deemed it necessary to formally declare both domains as DOLs. This action underscores the ministry's commitment to addressing the issue of online misinformation and ensuring that platforms adhering to POFMA regulations are held accountable for the content they host. Looking ahead, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in curbing the spread of false narratives and whether additional steps will be taken to enforce compliance with the law.