IMDA Suspends TOC Website & Social Media Channels’ Class License

It appears that the ongoing saga between the relevant authorities and The Online Citizen (TOC) is slowly but surely drawing to a close.

Earlier today (14 September 2021), it was announced that TOC has had its class license suspended.

In other words, it will be unable to post content in two days’ time.

IMDA Suspends TOC Website & Social Media Channel’s Class License

The move comes after TOC’s legal breach, where it failed to declare all sources of fundings.

Apparently, the socio-political website has failed to unveil the necessary data since mid-2020.

As such, it has had its class license suspended. Should the website continue to violate its legal obligation, it will have its class license removed altogether by 28 September 2021.

For context, TOC is considered a registered Internet content provider (ICP).

Such websites, which focus on party political issues in Singapore, are required to declare their sources of funding.

This is to ensure that there’s no foreign influence in domestic politics. Or as IMDA specified:

“This is to prevent such sites from being controlled by foreign actors, or coming under the influence of foreign entities or funding, and to ensure that there is no foreign influence in domestic politics.”

As for mainstream news websites, the same rules do not apply as they’re classed under the Broadcasting Act and the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act.

It also doesn’t help that TOC has a subscription system which allows personnel to pick certain topics without having to reveal their identity.

The subscription is believed to cost S$120 for a year’s access.

“This is a cause for concern as it could be used as an avenue for foreign influence,” IMDA added.

Apparently, TOC first registered as an ICP in 2018, and had complied with the necessary rules.

In 2019, however, things took a darker tone when TOC reportedly failed to verify a donor.

It also failed to clarify discrepancies in its foreign advertising revenue.

In 2020, it failed to declare all its funding sources. This continued despite multiple reminders and extensions.

“TOC had also informed IMDA that it does not intend to comply with its obligations under the law,” IMDA said.

Defence

Lawyer Lim Tean, who represents TOC, has since defended the discrepancies, stating that they were “simple accounting mistakes.”

In addition, Lim stated that TOC had offered “exhaustive” evidence of how their subscribers benefit from the subscription system, only to be told that there is “no evidence to prove the authenticity of the subscription model.”

He also accused IMDA of being a hypocrite, as Critical Spectator was allowed to comment on Singapore politics despite it being run by a foreign commentator, Polish national Michael Petraeus.

TOC also intends to challenge the suspension by way of a judicial review.

Meanwhile, you can read up more about how the whole saga by clicking here. You can also read about PM Lee’s defamation lawsuits against a TOC writer here and here.

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