Sun Xueling on blocking websites linked to potential misformation campaigns

The Ministry of Home Affairs does not set a threshold of reach or impact in assessing whether to pre-emptively act against threats of hostile information campaigns. In the case of 10 inauthentic websites that were blocked on 22 October 2024, Singaporeans’ level of exposure was assessed to be low. However, most of the websites were linked to global networks of inauthentic news websites that were reported by cybersecurity researchers to have conducted hostile information and influence campaigns in other countries. The authorities were satisfied that it was in the public interest to take preventive action and not wait until a hostile information campaign was mounted. Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling said this in Parliament on Wednesday (Nov 13) in reply to an MP’s question. She added that if individuals choose to circumvent the protections and use virtual private networks (VPNs) or other means to access dubious content, they do so at their own risk. Meanwhile, licensees can appeal against decisions by the Infocomm Media Development Authority.