SINGAPORE: The Online Citizen (TOC) was recently directed to publish a print correction notice in the Straits Times to ensure that the facts are made accessible beyond online platforms, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday (Apr 8).
Responding to a question from MP Fadli Fawzi (WP-Aljunied), Mrs Teo said online falsehoods remain a persistent global challenge, with the potential to spread rapidly, polarise societies, undermine public trust in institutions and “threaten the foundations of democratic discourse” by eroding the shared factual basis needed for public debate.
Under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), the government can require correction notices to be published on both online and, where necessary, offline platforms to ensure that accurate information reaches a wider audience.
Mrs Teo noted that falsehoods do not remain confined to digital spaces, but can spill over into offline discussions, influencing people who may not have encountered the original content online.
