Singapore wants 95 social media accounts linked to exiled Chinese tycoon blocked

The accounts were said to be hosting hostile information campaigns targeted at Singapore.

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered five social media platforms to block 95 accounts linked to exiled Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui.

Social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok were asked to take down 92 accounts linked to Guo and his organisations, the New Federal State of China1 and the Himalaya Supervisory Organisation (HSO). The other three accounts belong to a Singapore chapter of HSO.

In a 19 July statement, MHA said Guo's network posted a range of Singapore-related narratives on social media that are at times deemed false and detrimental to the city-state's interests. 

"Hostile information campaigns can undermine sovereignty and social cohesion. As seen in overseas incidents, they have the potential to reduce confidence in democratic processes, sow discord in communities, and undermine trust in governments and public institutions," it noted.