Parliament Sitting on 3 March 2023
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
11.Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what steps has the Ministry taken or will be taking to monitor and prevent messages of extremist ideologies and radicalisation from propagating in online gaming platforms such as Roblox among youths in Singapore.
Answer:
1. Singapore adopts a zero-tolerance approach towards radicalisation and any form of extremist ideology.
2. The Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act which took effect from 1 February 2023, provides the Info-communications Media Development Authority with levers to disable access to online content that advocates or instructs on terrorism or violence. While the levers are currently limited to social media services, the Ministry for Communications and Information will be looking into measures to strengthen online safety in other services. This includes online games that can be accessed via various platforms including App Stores. More details will be announced when ready.
3. The Ministry of Home Affairs will be introducing legislation to combat online criminal harms, which will cover content that incites terror-related activities. Levers under the legislation will cover all mediums of online communication through which criminal activities could be conducted.
4. A whole-of-society approach is necessary to mitigate the dangers of extremist ideologies and radicalisation in Singapore. For example, MHA has also been reaching out to neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces to raise public awareness of the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation, and the importance of early reporting. This is done through the SGSecure movement, as well as through community organisations such as the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) and the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group (ACG). For example, the RRG and ACG conduct regular community outreach through visits to RRG Resource and Counselling Centre, assembly talks, and youth forums to sensitise members of the public to the terrorism threat and strengthen the community’s resilience against extremist ideas. Regulations, and interventions by the Government, are only part of the solution. Support from the community, including families remain vital. The Government will continue to work with the community to find ways to educate the public on radicalisation.