SINGAPORE: The operator of Gutzy Asia will from Wednesday (Jun 12) be barred from receiving any material benefits, including financial ones, from the operation of the alternative news website and its social media pages.
The restrictions come after Gutzy Asia and its Facebook and X account pages were on Tuesday marked as Declared Online Locations (DOL) under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).
The declaration was issued by Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo following the communication of "multiple falsehoods" on these online locations, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said in a media release.
It will be in effect for two years, until Jun 11, 2026.
An online location such as a website or webpage is declared a DOL if it has carried three or more different false statements of fact that are the subject of active POFMA directions.
In addition, at least three of these false statements must have been communicated on the online location in the six-month period prior to the DOL declaration.
Gutzy Asia previously published content as The Online Citizen Asia. The website was launched last year after The Online Citizen Asia's website and its Facebook, LinkedIn and X account pages were designated as DOLs.
It has been handed three POFMA correction directions.
The first was issued in October 2023 after it published a falsehood about a woman who had fallen to her death from a building in Yishun.
The second was issued in February this year after the website republished false claims made by then Progress Singapore Party chief Leong Mun Wai about the lack of financial aid given to a couple staying in West Coast.
The third was issued later that month after it republished a false claim made by Reform Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam about the rental of two state properties by ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan at Ridout Road.
For the duration of the DOL declaration, Gutzy Asia's website and Facebook and X pages will be required to carry a notice stating that each of these locations has been declared a DOL.
"With the notice, visitors to these DOLs will be warned that Gutzy has a history of communicating falsehoods on these online locations," said MCI.
The ministry advised members of the public to fact check information published on these DOLs.
While DOLs may remain in operation, they must be demonetised as POFMA prohibits individuals from deriving financial benefits by spreading falsehoods.
Service providers and digital advertising bodies must also take reasonable steps to ensure that paid content that they include on DOLs is not communicated in Singapore.
Individuals and companies must also not provide financial support to DOLs if they know it would "support, help or promote the communication of falsehoods in Singapore", added MCI.
There are currently nine other online locations that are DOLs, with declarations in effect up to Dec 11, 2025.
In addition to The Online Citizen Asia's website and its Facebook, LinkedIn and X account pages, Mr Jeyaretnam's Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X account pages as well as the Ricebowl Singapore website are also DOLs.
"The owner or operator of a DOL, or any person with editorial control over the DOL, may apply to the Minister for Communications and Information to vary or cancel the declaration," MCI said.
"If the Minister refuses the application, an appeal can be made to the High Court."
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The restrictions come after Gutzy Asia and its Facebook and X account pages were on Tuesday marked as Declared Online Locations (DOL) under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).
The declaration was issued by Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo following the communication of "multiple falsehoods" on these online locations, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said in a media release.
It will be in effect for two years, until Jun 11, 2026.
An online location such as a website or webpage is declared a DOL if it has carried three or more different false statements of fact that are the subject of active POFMA directions.
In addition, at least three of these false statements must have been communicated on the online location in the six-month period prior to the DOL declaration.
Gutzy Asia previously published content as The Online Citizen Asia. The website was launched last year after The Online Citizen Asia's website and its Facebook, LinkedIn and X account pages were designated as DOLs.
It has been handed three POFMA correction directions.
The first was issued in October 2023 after it published a falsehood about a woman who had fallen to her death from a building in Yishun.
The second was issued in February this year after the website republished false claims made by then Progress Singapore Party chief Leong Mun Wai about the lack of financial aid given to a couple staying in West Coast.
The third was issued later that month after it republished a false claim made by Reform Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam about the rental of two state properties by ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan at Ridout Road.
Related:
For the duration of the DOL declaration, Gutzy Asia's website and Facebook and X pages will be required to carry a notice stating that each of these locations has been declared a DOL.
"With the notice, visitors to these DOLs will be warned that Gutzy has a history of communicating falsehoods on these online locations," said MCI.
The ministry advised members of the public to fact check information published on these DOLs.
While DOLs may remain in operation, they must be demonetised as POFMA prohibits individuals from deriving financial benefits by spreading falsehoods.
Service providers and digital advertising bodies must also take reasonable steps to ensure that paid content that they include on DOLs is not communicated in Singapore.
Individuals and companies must also not provide financial support to DOLs if they know it would "support, help or promote the communication of falsehoods in Singapore", added MCI.
Related:
There are currently nine other online locations that are DOLs, with declarations in effect up to Dec 11, 2025.
In addition to The Online Citizen Asia's website and its Facebook, LinkedIn and X account pages, Mr Jeyaretnam's Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X account pages as well as the Ricebowl Singapore website are also DOLs.
"The owner or operator of a DOL, or any person with editorial control over the DOL, may apply to the Minister for Communications and Information to vary or cancel the declaration," MCI said.
"If the Minister refuses the application, an appeal can be made to the High Court."
Continue reading...