\n<\/p>\n
Noting that countries around the world continue to grapple with the persistent challenge of misinformation, MDDI and MinLaw said POFMA provides the Singapore government with targeted tools to tackle online falsehoods effectively.<\/p>\n
“These tools address the distinctive challenges that online falsehoods present: their potential for rapid proliferation and viral transmission, permanence in digital environments, and tendency for false information to achieve broader circulation than facts,” they said.<\/p>\n
“Crucially, misinformation can go beyond digital boundaries and spread through offline discourse \u2013 influencing public understanding even among those who have not encountered the original false content online.<\/p>\n
“POFMA therefore incorporates measures, including print corrections, to protect the broader population from the pervasive effects of falsehoods in public discourse.”<\/p>\n
TOC said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that it believes the latest correction direction was \u201cthe most escalated use of POFMA since it came into force\u201d.<\/p>\n
It added that it had complied with the order because \u201cthe law requires it\u201d and not because it accepted the government’s characterisation of its reporting.<\/p>\n
The law ministry had taken issue with three points of falsehood in TOC’s Mar 9 article on Mr Wong’s appointment.<\/p>\n
These included allegations that there was no information that Mr Wong had recused himself from acting on matters relating to the <\/span>acquisition of 38 Oxley Road, the home of Singapore’s first prime minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.<\/span><\/p>\n The attorney-general was the personal lawyer of the late Mr Lee’s son, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Both Mr Wong and Mr Lee had recused themselves from matters relating to 38 Oxley Road when it became an issue of public debate several years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n