Singapore blocks 6 more websites set up by foreign actors over hostile information threat
The six websites masqueraded as Singapore news outlets by spoofing or using Singapore-associated terms in their domain names and carrying local content, authorities say.
The Ministry of Home Affairs headquarters in Singapore. (File photo: TODAY)
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SINGAPORE: Singapore has blocked another six websites set up by foreign actors that could be used to mount hostile information campaigns, authorities said on Thursday (Apr 23).
The six websites – singaporeheadline.com, singaporeweek.com, singapore24hour.com, nanyangweekly.com, singaporebuzz.com and sgtimes.com – masquerade as Singapore news outlets by spoofing or using Singapore-associated terms in their domain names and carrying local content, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in a press release.
Building websites that appear credible to attract a local following, then using them to mount hostile information campaigns, is a common tactic among malicious foreign actors, the authorities said.
Overseas examples have shown such actors creating inauthentic news websites to propagate false narratives and sway target populations' sentiments in their own interests, with serious outcomes, they added.
Hostile information campaigns can manipulate elections, undermine public trust in institutions and exploit societal fault lines.
Issuing directions under the Broadcasting Act to disable access to the six websites for users in Singapore is in the public interest, the two agencies said.
The same law was used in October 2024 to block 10 inauthentic websites set up by foreign actors.
MHA discovered the six websites between 2024 and 2025 through routine monitoring, it said.
“We are only taking action now as time was needed to thoroughly investigate these websites and their networks, to assess their potential impact on Singapore and if they were used by foreign actors,” the ministry said in response to CNA queries.
None of the six had been used in a hostile information campaign against Singapore, and exposure to them among Singapore users was assessed to be low, MHA added. Given this, authorities determined there was no need for immediate action, and developed an action plan to address the threat after completing their investigations.
FIVE WEBSITES CREATED ON THE SAME DATE
Five of the six websites are linked to other websites and networks previously flagged by Google's Threat Analysis Group and Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant for carrying out misinformation and disinformation activities, authorities said.
All five were created on the same date in 2021, revamped within the same period in June 2025, and received similar interface upgrades to make them resemble legitimate news websites.
The first five listed terms and conditions last updated on Dec 1, 2020, which stated that they were governed by the laws of the United States. Each had a support or admin email listed; one gave its headquarters address as 123 Orchard Road #10-01 Singapore 238888 – a postal code and street address that do not match.
The five domains were last updated on Feb 26, 2026 and are set to expire Mar 28, 2027. They appear to be registered in the Cayman Islands.
Four of the five carried General Election-related news during the 10-day campaign period for the 2025 election, said MHA and IMDA. Most were largely inactive before the writ of election was issued.
The bulk of Singapore-related content on these five sites was taken from local outlets – CNA, the Straits Times and Mothership – as well as foreign media such as Bloomberg and Business Insider, but attributed to the sites themselves.
“Such acts can mislead readers into believing that these are legitimate Singapore-related news websites and that the content published is reflective of official positions or local sentiments,” MHA and IMDA said.
The sixth website, sgtimes.com, similarly presents itself as a Singapore mainstream news outlet. Its subheader reads "Singapore News and Travel", and it predominantly carries Singapore content. In July 2025, it published an article describing itself as one of Singapore's mainstream media outlets with "high monthly visits".
“Singaporeans should continue to remain vigilant when accessing online content and be alert to such inauthentic websites and the threat they pose,” MHA and IMDA said.
