Singapore

On 9 November, Singapore passed legislation empowering authorities to order social media platforms to remove "egregious" content. This includes posts advocating sexual violence, terrorism, or content likely to incite racial or religious tensions. The new law is said to tighten current regulations of social media, whereby social media firms will face fines if they fail to comply. Human rights activists have expressed concern over the potential of the law being used by government to stifle freedom of expression online and repress dissent due to the vague nature of what is deemed “harmful content.”

Freedom of Expression Censorship Social Media Digital democracy

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on 21 August that the government will repeal Section 377A, a colonial-era law that criminalizes sex between men. While hailed as a step in the right direction for the acceptance and safety of LGBTQIA+ individuals, numerous rights groups have expressed concern surrounding Mr. Lee’s accompanying statement on amending the Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, to prevent future judicial challenges.

Gender Equality Lee Hsien Loong LGBTQIA+ Rights