MHA orders X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok to restrict 95 accounts linked to foreign network that spread fake news about S’pore leadership transition

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued Account Restriction Directions (ARDs) under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 (FICA) to social media platforms X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, requiring them to block 95 online accounts on their platforms from being accessible to Singapore end-users.

The accounts were flagged for posting false narratives on Singapore’s leadership transition, according to a press release from the MHA issued on Jul. 19.

The ARDs will require the platforms to take “all reasonable steps to terminate any functionality of their services that enables interactions between the specified accounts and end-users physically present in Singapore.”

Over 120 posts posted by foreign influence network

Between Apr. 17 and May 10, 2024, a network of 92 social media accounts across the five social media platforms published over 120 posts containing videos on Singapore’s leadership transition.

MHA stated that the posts were published in “a coordinated manner and contained narratives which alleged that Singapore is in the pocket of a foreign actor”.

The videos also alleged that the foreign actor was behind the scenes in the selection of Singapore’s fourth generation leader, MHA added.

Investigations revealed that the 92 accounts are part of a network linked to a foreigner, Guo Wengui, and his affiliated organisations, the New Federal State of China (NFSC) and the Himalaya Supervisory Organisation (HSO).

​​According to MHA, NFSC is a right-wing political and lobby group created by Guo and Steve Bannon, while HSO is an NGO started by Guo and Bannon in support of NFSC.

The remaining three of the 95 accounts belong to a Singapore chapter called Himalaya Singapore under HSO.

MHA noted that Guo is at the centre of “a vast network of interrelated media entities and social media accounts” that disseminate disinformation across platforms.

Worldwide network of social media accounts

According to the list of accounts stated in the news release, 21 are on Facebook, 13 on Instagram, four on YouTube, one on TikTok, and the remaining 56 are on X.

The accounts have usernames in either Chinese or English or both and have self-proclaimed to be based in various countries and territories worldwide.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Guo Wengui was convicted by a U.S. federal court on Jul. 16 (U.S. time) for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from online followers.

Guo, also known by many other aliases such as Miles Guo, Miles Kwok, and Ho Wan Kwok, was reportedly a business associate of former White House adviser Steve Bannon.

Bannon was arrested on fraud charges in 2020 while on Guo’s yacht, but Bannon was later pardoned by then-U.S. president Donald Trump. Bannon was subsequently charged in a separate fraud case.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that Guo made his original fortune in China building hotels and had at one point allied himself with Ma Jian, a former senior intelligence official in China.

According to the NYT, Guo fled to the U.S. when Ma was detained by Chinese authorities in 2015 and then bought a US$68 million Manhattan penthouse with the help of a recommendation letter from former British prime minister Tony Blair.

SCMP reported that while Guo was in the U.S., he partnered with Bannon on media ventures and was famous for being one of the most vocal opponents of the Chinese government in the Trump era.

Guo has also been accused of being a spy for Beijing, said SCMP.

Foreign influence network spread false narratives detrimental to Singapore's interests

Guo’s network was also observed to have posted a variety of other Singapore-related narratives, MHA said.

“The network’s coordinated actions and precedence of using Singapore to push its agenda have demonstrated its willingness and capability to spread false narratives that are detrimental to Singapore’s interests.

The timing of the coordinated posts, which coincided with the period of Singapore’s political leadership transition, is indicative of deliberate planning and actions.”

Network can and may harness accounts to mount hostile campaigns

Based on the observations, MHA said there are grounds to believe that Guo’s network can and may potentially harness the 95 accounts to mount hostile information campaigns targeted directly at Singapore.

According to MHA, hostile information campaigns can undermine sovereignty and social cohesion, potentially reducing confidence in democratic processes, sowing discord in communities, and undermining trust in governments and public institutions.

MHA urged Singaporeans to be discerning when consuming and disseminating information online.

“We should always fact-check the information to see if it is accurate and authentic against a credible source,” the ministry said.

Top image via Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok & X