Gutzy Asia handed POFMA restrictions over 'multiple falsehoods'
Three Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act correction directions have been issued to Gutzy Asia, including one for communicating false statements of fact concerning the assistance rendered to a couple who live in West Coast. (Image: Gutzy Asia)
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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.
It is among the restrictions that come with being designated as Declared Online Locations (DOLs) under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).
A website or webpage can be declared a DOL if it carries three or more false statements that are subject to POFMA correction directions within six months.
Gutzy Asia, as well as its Facebook and X pages, were designated as DOLs on Tuesday for communicating "multiple falsehoods". The declaration will be in effect for two years, until Jun 11, 2026, said the Ministry for Communications and Information (MCI).
During this period, Gutzy Asia's website, Facebook page and X page are each required to carry a notice stating that they have 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," the ministry added.
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 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 four 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.
MCI 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 pages, Mr Jeyaretnam's Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X pages as well as his website The Ricebowl Singapore 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."
