Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Number of Extremist Websites or Internet Domains Banned in Singapore

Question:

Ms Hazel Poa : To ask the Minister for Home Affairs how many extremist websites or Internet domains are banned in Singapore to prevent extremist narratives from taking root.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1. The Government has blocked more than 50 Internet domains that were found to contain extremist content. However, it is not possible to block all extremist content. New websites containing extremist content are constantly emerging, and bad actors will continue to find ways to get their message across while avoiding detection. Determined individuals will find ways to circumvent our blocking.

2. That is why public education and outreach remains essential to countering extremist narratives. The Internal Security Department (ISD) has been working with Government agencies and community partners on outreach efforts to strengthen the community’s resilience to extremist ideologies. The public also plays an important role and we encourage members of the public to contact the ISD Counter-Terrorism hotline at 1800 2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD) or report via the SGSecure app if they are concerned that someone close to them may be at risk of being radicalised.