No threshold set for blocking websites linked to potential misinformation campaigns: MHA
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The authorities on Oct 22 ordered 10 fake websites to be blocked.
PHOTO: ST FILE
SINGAPORE - Even if Singaporeans have a low level of exposure to websites linked to potential misinformation campaigns, the authorities will still block these sites, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling said this in Parliament on Nov 13, in response to a question from Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) about the ministry’s blocking of inauthentic websites.
She said MHA does not set a threshold on a website’s reach or impact in assessing whether to act against such threats.
Mr Yip’s parliamentary question came after MHA and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on Oct 22 ordered 10 fake websites to be blocked.
In her reply, Ms Sun said these websites could potentially be used by foreign actors to mount hostile information campaigns against Singapore.
Most of them are associated with global networks of inauthentic news websites known to have conducted such campaigns in other countries, added Ms Sun, who is also Minister of State for Social and Family Development.
She said: “IMDA had considered MHA’s findings and was satisfied that it was in the public interest to take pre-emptive action, and not wait until a hostile information campaign is mounted before acting against these websites.”
MHA and IMDA said in a statement on Oct 22 that the 10 websites masqueraded as Singapore websites by spoofing or using terms associated with Singapore in their domain names and incorporating familiar local features and visuals.
Some carried content on Singapore generated by artificial intelligence, added the authorities.
MHA and IMDA said: “These are common tactics used by malicious foreign actors: build websites which can attract a local following, that may subsequently be used as platforms to mount hostile information campaigns.”
The agencies did not disclose who is behind the websites, but cyber-threat reports frequently link Russia and China to hostile information campaigns that go by a similar mode of operations.
Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong sounded the alarm on hostile information campaigns
He cited examples of messages on messaging platforms and social media related to the Ukraine war that tried to stir up strong anti-US sentiments, or aimed to discredit Russia and China and persuade people to side with the West.
Many of the 10 websites that were recently blocked have been publishing news in English and Chinese since 2020, and contain articles on topics such as daily news, economics, technology, culture and politics.
But these sites are believed to be laying the groundwork for disinformation, based on threat research and cases overseas.
One of them, Alamak.io, published a commentary that falsely claimed Singapore had allowed other countries to conduct their biological warfare research activities here.
Another site, zaobaodaily.com, uses a domain name that closely resembles legitimate Singapore-related websites, carrying content that could mislead audiences into thinking it reflects local opinions or official positions.
In Parliament, Mr Yip asked how effective the blocks would be, given that there are tools like virtual private networks to circumvent such restrictions.
He also said blocking websites could result in unintended consequences, such as driving traffic underground.
Ms Sun replied that the objective of blocking such sites is to protect users in Singapore from accessing and potentially being misled by these sites.
People who choose to circumvent these protections to access such dubious content do so at their own risk, she said.
She added: “We cannot protect people who deliberately avoid the protection.
“We need to remind members of the public that they have to remain aware and vigilant against potential foreign interference activity.”
