SINGAPORE — The commentary website The Ricebowl Singapore by Reform Party's chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam, along with his social media pages, have been made “Declared Online Locations” by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).

The declaration under an anti-falsehood law for online content will come into effect on Tuesday (Dec 12) and will be in force for two years until Dec 11, 2025, MCI said in a press release on Monday.

This will mean that Mr Jeyaretnam cannot receive financial gains from these sites, among other conditions.

Under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), an online site would be deemed a Declared Online Location if: 

• It has carried three or more different false statements of fact that are the subject of active directions such as a Pofma correction direction
• At least three of these false statements of fact had been communicated on the online site within six months before the date of the declaration

Apart from his website, Mr Jeyaretnam’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly known as Twitter) will be required to carry a notice during this period stating that each of these online sites is a Declared Online Location.

PROHIBITED FROM GETTING FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Declared Online Locations may still remain in operation, but they have to comply with the de-monetisation of the sites, as part of Pofma’s statutory requirements.

A banner seen on The Ricebowl Singapore website on Monday seeks donations from readers in exchange for advertisement-free content.

MCI said: “Pofma prohibits a person from deriving financial benefit from operating a Declared Online Location, thereby preventing (their) operators from profiting from the communication of falsehoods.”

During the time that the declaration remains in effect:

• It shall be an offence for the operator of the Declared Online Locations to derive financial or other material benefit from operating them
• Service providers, such as digital advertising agencies and digital advertising intermediaries, including advertising exchanges, must take reasonable steps to ensure that the paid content that they include or cause to be included on the Declared Online Locations are not communicated in Singapore
• Individuals, including members of the public and companies, must not provide financial support to the Declared Online Locations if they know or have reason to believe that by doing so, they will support, help or promote the communication of falsehoods in Singapore on these sites

“Members of the public are advised to be alert to Mr Jeyaretnam’s history of communicating misinformation on these online locations, and to fact-check information published at these Declared Online Locations," MCI added.

SEVERAL CORRECTION ORDERS ISSUED

MCI said that Mr Jeyaretnam’s website, Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn pages have each met the requirements to be made a Declared Online Location.

Mr Jeyaretnam has been issued Pofma correction directions in five instances.

The ministry said: “Each of these online locations carried at least three different false statements of fact communicated within six months prior to the declaration, that are the subject of active Pofma directions.

“These included at least three different false statements of fact, which were the subject of Pofma correction directions issued on July 16, Aug 2, Aug 22, Aug 30, and Nov 2, 2023.”

MCI said that visitors to these Declared Online Locations will be warned that Mr Jeyaretnam has a history of communicating falsehoods on these sites.

“In the last six months, Mr Jeyaretnam has made false claims and repeatedly shared falsehoods about various government policies and processes, such as fiscal and manpower policies, the Singapore Police Force’s and Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s investigation practices, and state property rentals,” MCI added.