TOC's print correction notice in Straits Times ensures facts are accessible beyond online platforms: Josephine Teo

## Summary
Advertisement Singapore TOC's print correction notice in Straits Times ensures facts are accessible beyond online platforms: Josephine Teo The Online Citizen has continued to disseminate false and misleading content, despite multiple POFMA correction directions, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST SINGAPORE: The Online Citizen (TOC) was recently directed to publish a print correction notice in the Straits Times to ensure that the facts are made accessible beyond online platforms, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday (Apr 8). Despite these measures, TOC has continued to publish false and misleading content, Mrs Teo said, adding that over the past six years, TOC and its affiliated pages have been issued 25 correction directions. "To mitigate against the impact and reach of the falsehoods communicated by TOC, it was necessary to supplement the online correction notices with a print correction notice in The Straits Times, so that the facts are made accessible beyond the online audience," Mrs Teo said. Related: Police looking into TOC article on parliamentary replies about Singaporeans allegedly serving in IDF TOC's Terry Xu to pay S$420,000 for defaming ministers K Shanmugam and Tan See Leng in Good Class Bungalow article Source: CNA/nh(gs) Sign up for our newsletters Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Subscribe here Get the CNA app Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Download here Get WhatsApp alerts Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app Join here Related Topics TOC The Online Citizen POFMA Josephine Teo Advertisement Also worth reading Content is loading...

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TOC's print correction notice in Straits Times ensures facts are accessible beyond online platforms: Josephine Teo
The Online Citizen has continued to disseminate false and misleading content, despite multiple POFMA correction directions, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.
The Online Citizen's Terry Xu. (File photo: TODAY)
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Ng Hong Siang
Ng Hong Siang
08 Apr 2026 09:52PM
(Updated: 08 Apr 2026 10:03PM)
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SINGAPORE: The Online Citizen (TOC) was recently directed to publish a
print correction notice in the Straits Times
to ensure that the facts are made accessible beyond online platforms, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday (Apr 8).
Responding to a question from MP Fadli Fawzi
(WP-Aljunied)
, Mrs Teo said online falsehoods remain a persistent global challenge, with the potential to spread rapidly, polarise societies, undermine public trust in institutions and "threaten the foundations of democratic discourse" by eroding the shared factual basis needed for public debate.
Under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), the government can require correction notices to be published on both online and, where necessary, offline platforms to ensure that accurate information reaches a wider audience.
Mrs Teo noted that falsehoods do not remain confined to digital spaces, but can spill over into offline discussions, influencing people who may not have encountered the original content online.
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In the case of TOC's chief editor Terry Xu and its publisher, the Mar 23 POFMA order was the
first to require a correction notice to be published in a specified newspaper.
The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the Ministry of Law told CNA on Mar 25 that authorities had considered TOC’s “persistent” publication of false and misleading content.
"In assessing what measures were necessary in the specific case highlighted by the member, the government took into account the overall context," Mrs Teo said on Wednesday, noting that TOC had a history of publishing falsehoods.
TOC’s website and its Facebook and X pages have been designated as
Declared Online Locations
under POFMA on more than one occasion – in July 2023 and again in July 2025.
Despite these measures, TOC has continued to publish false and misleading content, Mrs Teo said, adding that over the past six years, TOC and its affiliated pages have been issued 25 correction directions.
"To mitigate against the impact and reach of the falsehoods communicated by TOC, it was necessary to supplement the online correction notices with a print correction notice in The Straits Times, so that the facts are made accessible beyond the online audience," Mrs Teo said.
She added that the government will assess the need for print correction notices depending on the circumstances of each case, to ensure that the corrections are effective in reaching the relevant audiences.
Related:
Police looking into TOC article on parliamentary replies about Singaporeans allegedly serving in IDF
TOC's Terry Xu to pay S$420,000 for defaming ministers K Shanmugam and Tan See Leng in Good Class Bungalow article
Source: CNA/nh(gs)
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- She added that the government will assess the need for print correction notices depending on the circumstances of each case, to ensure that the corrections are effective in reaching the relevant audiences.

### Areas for Consideration
- Responding to a question from MP Fadli Fawzi (WP-Aljunied) , Mrs Teo said online falsehoods remain a persistent global challenge, with the potential to spread rapidly, polarise societies, undermine public trust in institutions and "threaten the foundations of democratic discourse" by eroding the shared factual basis needed for public debate.
- CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less In the case of TOC's chief editor Terry Xu and its publisher, the Mar 23 POFMA order was the first to require a correction notice to be published in a specified newspaper.

### Implications
- Mrs Teo noted that falsehoods do not remain confined to digital spaces, but can spill over into offline discussions, influencing people who may not have encountered the original content online.
- Despite these measures, TOC has continued to publish false and misleading content, Mrs Teo said, adding that over the past six years, TOC and its affiliated pages have been issued 25 correction directions. "To mitigate against the impact and reach of the falsehoods communicated by TOC, it was necessary to supplement the online correction notices with a print correction notice in The Straits Times, so that the facts are made accessible beyond the online audience," Mrs Teo said.
- She added that the government will assess the need for print correction notices depending on the circumstances of each case, to ensure that the corrections are effective in reaching the relevant audiences.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers online, toc, correction topics. Notable strengths include discussion of online. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 737.