Pofma order issued to Meta, X for S’pore users who accessed US comedian Sammy Obeid’s post
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Comedian Sammy Obeid had failed to comply with correction directions issued on Sept 1 involving the posts that were the targets of a Pofma direction.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, SAMMY OBEID/INSTAGRAM
Follow topic:
- Meta and X must communicate correction notices to Singapore users who viewed Sammy Obeid's posts targeted by a Pofma direction.
- Obeid falsely claimed Singapore shows were cancelled due to censorship and script rejections regarding Israel, Palestine and Gaza.
- Obeid doesn't have to remove posts, but must include correction notices linking to the Government's clarification.
AI generated
SINGAPORE - Meta and X have been directed to communicate correction notices to all end-users in Singapore who accessed or will access comedian Sammy Obeid’s posts that were the targets of a direction under Singapore’s fake news law
This is as the Lebanese-Palestinian American comedian failed to comply with the correction direction issued under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) on Sept 1, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said in a statement on Sept 4.
Mr Obeid made posts
MDDI said Mr Obeid’s original posts falsely claimed that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) had required multiple rounds of edits to his material, including removing all references to Israel, Palestine and the conflict in Gaza, but rejected his script even after he had complied with all required removals.
It added that Mr Obeid had falsely claimed that IMDA told him it was rejecting his arts entertainment licence application because it was wary that he might go off-script on stage.
On Sept 1, MDDI said Mr Obeid did not have to remove his posts on Facebook, Instagram and X, but needed to carry the correction notices on them so readers have a link to the Government’s clarification.
But he failed to comply with the correction direction, MDDI said.
MDDI said that Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo has instructed the Pofma Office to issue targeted correction directions to Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – and X to communicate the correction notice to end-users.
Mr Obeid was scheduled to perform two shows on Aug 31 at Victoria Theatre.
Following the cancellation of the shows, IMDA said it rejected his application for a performance permit because the application from his local representative came much too late – 10 working days before the comedian was due to perform.
Applications must be submitted at least 40 working days prior to the performance.
On Aug 31, Mr Obeid made a post that carried two video clips, with one showing an unidentified person telling him over the phone to remove “anything that has to do with Palestine and Israel”.
“They’ve given us until 3pm today,” the person is heard saying in the other video clip that was posted. This was after Mr Obeid said he would agree to make edits to his script for the Singapore shows.
The comedian did not say in his post when the videos were taken, nor did he identify the person on the phone.
Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told the media on Aug 31 that the alleged censorship was “completely fictional”, and reiterated that the sole reason Mr Obeid’s application for a performance permit was rejected was that it came in too late.
On Sept 1, MDDI said that it had issued the Pofma order as Mr Obeid’s claims risked causing serious misunderstanding, eroding public trust in IMDA’s licensing role and inflaming public sentiment on the crisis in Gaza, which is already a sensitive issue.
MDDI also responded to Mr Obeid’s Aug 31 post, saying it was aware of claims based on the recording of a private conversation.
The ministry said IMDA was not part of that discussion and that it never had any direct or indirect discussions with Mr Obeid nor his representatives about his script, and never asked for any edits or removals.
