SINGAPORE: Meta and X will now be required to take action after United States comedian Sammy Obeid failed to comply with a Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) order issued to him earlier this week.
The POFMA Office has been instructed to issue targeted correction directions to Meta Platforms and X, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said on Thursday (Sep 4).
This will require Meta and X to communicate correction notices to users in Singapore who accessed, or will access, posts made by Mr Obeid which have been flagged for containing falsehoods.
A correction order was issued to Mr Obeid on Monday regarding false statements made in his Facebook, Instagram, and X posts on Aug 27.
These posts falsely claimed that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) required multiple rounds of edits to Mr Obeid’s material, including removing all references to Israel, Palestine and the conflict in Gaza, but rejected his script even after he complied with all required removals.
The posts also falsely claimed that IMDA told Mr Obeid they were rejecting his Arts Entertainment Licence application, inter alia, because they were wary that Mr Obeid may go off-script on stage, said MDDI.
The ministry noted that the POFMA correction direction requires Mr Obeid to carry correction notices alongside the original posts.
“He does not have to remove the original posts. These notices would provide readers with a link to the government’s clarification so they can read both versions and draw their own conclusions,” it said.
“As Mr Obeid did not comply with the correction direction, the Minister for Digital Development and Information, Mrs Josephine Teo, has instructed the POFMA Office to issue targeted correction directions to Meta Platforms, Inc, and X Corp.”
Full facts of this case are available on the Factually website.
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The POFMA Office has been instructed to issue targeted correction directions to Meta Platforms and X, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said on Thursday (Sep 4).
This will require Meta and X to communicate correction notices to users in Singapore who accessed, or will access, posts made by Mr Obeid which have been flagged for containing falsehoods.
A correction order was issued to Mr Obeid on Monday regarding false statements made in his Facebook, Instagram, and X posts on Aug 27.
These posts falsely claimed that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) required multiple rounds of edits to Mr Obeid’s material, including removing all references to Israel, Palestine and the conflict in Gaza, but rejected his script even after he complied with all required removals.
The posts also falsely claimed that IMDA told Mr Obeid they were rejecting his Arts Entertainment Licence application, inter alia, because they were wary that Mr Obeid may go off-script on stage, said MDDI.
The ministry noted that the POFMA correction direction requires Mr Obeid to carry correction notices alongside the original posts.
“He does not have to remove the original posts. These notices would provide readers with a link to the government’s clarification so they can read both versions and draw their own conclusions,” it said.
“As Mr Obeid did not comply with the correction direction, the Minister for Digital Development and Information, Mrs Josephine Teo, has instructed the POFMA Office to issue targeted correction directions to Meta Platforms, Inc, and X Corp.”
Full facts of this case are available on the Factually website.
Continue reading...