Singapore enacts strict election regulations, compelling removal of foreigners' Facebook content
Let's Get Down to Brass Tacks: Singapore's Social Media Guidelines for External Factions During Elections
Singapore has cranked up the heat on social media regulations to safeguard its elections from foreign manipulation. This crackdown is part of a broader strategy to safeguard the fairness and impartiality of the voting process.
Major Regulations
- Ban on Foreign Participation: The Parliamentary Elections Act (PEA) outlaws foreigners from partaking in election activities or publishing online election advertising (OEA) [Sec. 2].
- Online Election Advertising Definition: Content is classified as OEA if it has the potential to boost or degrade any political party or candidate [Sec. 2].
- Emphasis on a Secular State: Maintaining a secular state is crucial, aiming to prevent mixing religion and politics to preserve social harmony [Sec. 4].
Enforcement Before GE2025
As the General Election 2025 approaches, Singapore has ramped up its enforcement actions:
- Access Blockage: The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has commanded Meta (Facebook's parent company) to restrict Singaporeans' access to selected social media posts by foreigners believed to be swaying the election. These posts were determined to be advocating electoral success or denigrating on racial or religious lines [Article 1, 3, 4].
- Identified Offenders: The identification of three individuals for content blockage was made: Iskandar Abdul Samad and Mohamed Sukri Omar from Malaysia, and an Australian ex-Singapore citizen, Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff, also known as Zai Nal [Article 1, 4].
- Warning and Education: The government has also disseminated public notices to inform the populace about the rules and the perils of merging religion with politics, reinforcing Singapore's neutral stance [Article 4].
These measures underscore Singapore's unwavering commitment to safeguarding electoral integrity and protecting its social fabric during elections.
- Iskandar Abdul Samad, Mohamed Sukri Omar from Malaysia, and Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff, an Australian ex-Singapore citizen, also known as Zai Nal, have been identified for content blockage by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) for posts believed to be swaying the upcoming election in Singapore.
- Abdul, Omar, and Shariff's social media posts were determined to be advocating electoral success or denigrating on racial or religious lines, leading to the restriction of Singaporeans' access to these posts.
- In a broader effort to educate the public, the Singaporean government has also disseminated public notices warning about the perils of merging religion with politics, reinforcing their commitment to a secular state and neutral stance during elections.
- In response to the rising concern of foreign manipulation in social media during elections, Singapore has reposted the enforcement actions, such as the access blockage of certain posts, to highlight the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process and preserving social harmony in Singapore.
