Singapore orders social media giants to block anti-Indian posts

Singapore has instructed YouTube,Facebook and X to block access to 14 online posts that authorities say promote xenophobic narratives targeting the Indian community and seek to undermine the city-state’s racial harmony.

The Singapore Police Force issued Disabling Directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act 2023, requiring the platforms to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent users in Singapore from viewing the material. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced the action on Saturday.

The content, which first appeared in Chinese-language online spaces last month, portrayed Singapore’s multiracial policies as a mere façade designed to appeal to Western values. It claimed the country’s stability derived not from multiculturalism but from its ethnic Chinese majority, which makes up about 75% of the 6 million population. Posts alleged that growing numbers of ethnic Indian politicians would favour Indian immigrants and warned of a supposed “threat” from an expanding Indian community.

Selective images and footage were used to reinforce claims of overcrowding, including weekend scenes of migrant workers in Little India and devotees at a religious festival on Pagoda Street. Derogatory language compared the rising presence of Indians to a “concentration of curry”.

Investigations found the material likely originated from a China-based platform before spreading elsewhere. MHA described the efforts as “malicious” attempts to sow discord, including against Indian migrant workers in construction and other sectors who “contribute to Singapore’s growth and development”. Authorities assessed the posts as likely breaching Section 298A of the Penal Code, which criminalises acts that promote enmity between racial groups or prejudice racial harmony.

Singapore’s Indian community, including both citizens and foreign workers, forms roughly 9% of the population alongside a similar proportion of Malays, according to reports. MHA stressed that foreign-sourced attempts to exploit ethnic fault lines were “doubly unacceptable”. It urged citizens to reject nativism and xenophobia and to remain vigilant online. The Online Criminal Harms Act, which came into force in 2023, equips authorities to act rapidly against online content deemed harmful to social cohesion. Saturday’s move is the latest example of Singapore’s willingness to intervene decisively when it perceives threats to its racial compact.