A 59-year-old man in Singapore has been charged for allegedly spreading false information on TikTok, in what is believed to be the first criminal prosecution under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act. The charges include communicating false statements, defamation, and attempting to incite ill will between racial groups, relating to videos posted between 2023 and 2025. The videos allegedly contained misleading claims about voting, CPF policies, HDB flats, and government actions. This follows previous warnings and correction directions issued to the man.
SINGAPORE: A 59-year-old man has been charged in court for allegedly spreading false information on TikTok, marking what appears to be the first criminal prosecution under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act .
Jay Ish’haq Rajoo was charged on March 11 with communicating false statements of fact online. He also faces separate charges for defamation and for attempting to stir ill will between racial groups. The accusations relate to several TikTok videos he posted between 2023 and 2025. The videos allegedly included misleading claims about voting secrecy, Central Provident Fund policies, and the affordability of Housing and Development Board flats. One video posted in August 2023 allegedly suggested that Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s decision to nominate Lucien Wong as Attorney-General reflected nepotism and a conflict of interest. Prosecutors say the claim was defamatory, Channel NewsAsia reports. Authorities had previously taken action against Rajoo. The POFMA Office and the Singapore Police Force issued him 24-month conditional warnings in 2024 after he failed to comply with correction directions linked to earlier online posts. A conditional warning requires the recipient to avoid further offences during the specified period. Prosecutors say Rajoo breached that warning through a TikTok video posted in 2025.The August 2025 video allegedly claimed that Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat had announced plans to bring mainland Chinese individuals to Singapore and groom them for leadership roles. The video also claimed that government resources were used only to nurture leaders from the Chinese race. Authorities said these claims were false. Rajoo was issued another POFMA order in September 2025 over the video. Since the 2025 post allegedly violated the earlier warning, prosecutors also proceeded with criminal charges tied to the earlier videos, which were deemed to spread misinformation and incite public unrest. Rajoo told the court he intends to engage a lawyer. The case will return to court on April 8. If convicted of communicating false statements of fact under POFMA, he could be fined up to S$50,000, imprisoned for up to 5 years, or both. A conviction for defamation carries a possible jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both. The charge related to promoting ill will between racial groups carries a maximum penalty of three years’ jail, a fine, or both.Wake Up Singapore was issued a POFMA correction direction after publishing a claim that a patient had a miscarriage following a long wait at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Investigations later found the allegation to be false, and the case eventually led to criminal defamation charges. WUSG founder Ariffin Iskandar Sha Ali Akbar was fined S$8,000 in August 2024 for a false claim made by a Myanmar woman that was posted on the WUSG platform without proper verification. Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon allowed Mr Ariffin’s admission to the Bar in August 2025, stating that Mr Ariffin had admitted responsibility, apologised to the hospital, retracted the article, and cooperated with investigations. The court then found the offence stemmed from a failure to verify the claim rather than deliberate dishonesty, a Channel NewsAsia report revealed. In June 2025, in another POFMA case, The Online Citizen’s website and social media pages were again designated as, preventing the platform from receiving financial benefits from operating its pages for an additional two years. Authorities said the move was necessary because the site had continued to communicate falsehoods on issues such as the death penalty and government social assistance policies.This recent case involving an individual, Jay Ish’haq Rajoo, a TikToker, a case that is believed to be the first of its kind, suggests that repeated offences, especially after official warnings, may also lead authorities to escalate enforcement beyond correction notices.Jobs, affordable housing and traffic planning top Johoreans’ expectations as JS-SEZ attracts billion-ringgit investments In just six months, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone drew billion-ringgit investments. In The Independent Singapore’s earlier report, investments in the economic zone were alrea...SINGAPORE: A Singaporean jobseeker confessed on social media that it “feels demoralising” watching everyone else around him “thrive in their careers” or land new jobs with apparent ease, while he h...document.addEventListener=>{ const trigger=document.getElementById; if { const observer=new IntersectionObserver=>{ entries.forEach { lazyLoader; // You should define lazyLoader elsewhere or inline here observer.unobserve; // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); observer.observe; } else { // Fallback setTimeout; } });The system would allow officials to monitor taxi routes and ensure that passengers are picked up and dropped off only at approved locations."Most skills we need for our jobs aren’t learned in classrooms, but through on-the-job training, via apprenticeships, internships, and mentorship. But our current systems are inadequate: the Skills...More learners are signing up for driving tests, but fewer are passing, reflecting changing preferences, stricter assessments, and growing demand for lessons.He had traveled to the United States in 2017 in order to marry another woman, even though he had not divorced his wife. Jobs, affordable housing and traffic planning top Johoreans’ expectations as JS-SEZ attracts billion-ringgit investments In just six months, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone drew billion-ringgit investments. In The Independent Singapore’s earlier report, investments in the economic zone were alrea...SINGAPORE: A Singaporean jobseeker confessed on social media that it “feels demoralising” watching everyone else around him “thrive in their careers” or land new jobs with apparent ease, while he h...Ang Mo Kio has recently recorded another notable transaction in the HDB resale market. On 5 March, a resale executive flat in the estate changed hands for S$1,350,000, setting a new benchmark for i...This article exposes the emotional toll of narcissistic bosses, showing how toxic leadership can drive burnout and career disruption. By sharing real experiences and practical advice, it validates ...Pro-transparency Citizens deserve to know where billions in spending go Greater accountability prevents waste Opposing view Singapore already has strict fiscal oversight Too much transparency ... All for safety: Han Hui Hui’s three children taken to hospital to keep them away from abusive environment, say MSF and policeMr Singh said,"In Parliament last week, the DPM Gan announced that the Government would increase the intake of New Citizens and Permanent Residents over the next five years. The Workers’ Party be...Mr Chua called on the Government, and not hawkers themselves, who are already struggling with low margins, to provide discounts for hawker food to Singaporeans based on their CHAS card type, with l...
POFMA Singapore Tiktok False Information Defamation Online Misinformation
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Lee Jae-myung thanks Singapore, Turkmenistan for evacuating South Koreans from Middle EastSouth Korea President Lee Jae-myung has sent letters to the leaders of Singapore and Turkmenistan, thanking them for their countries' help in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East amid rising tensions and limited commercial flight options.
Read more »
Singapore Fuel Prices Rise Again as Oil Market Volatility PersistsFuel prices in Singapore are on the rise, with 95-octane petrol hitting around $3.15 per liter and 98-octane options reaching $3.65. This increase is attributed to ongoing volatility in the global oil market, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf.
Read more »
Singapore appoints 2 new High Court judgesThe President has appointed two judicial commissioners as High Court judges from Monday (March 9), the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. They are Justices Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Abdul Kadir and Sushil Sukumaran Nair. With their appointments, the number of judges on the Supreme Court stands at 35, said PMO in a news release.
Read more »
Man to be Charged for TikTok Videos Promoting Racial Ill Will and False Statements in SingaporeA 59-year-old man in Singapore will be charged in court for posting multiple videos on TikTok containing content that allegedly promotes ill will between racial groups, makes false statements of fact, and defames public officials. The charges relate to videos posted between 2023 and 2025, with penalties including fines and potential prison sentences. This case underscores Singapore's efforts to combat online misinformation and hate speech.
Read more »
Man to be Charged for TikTok Videos Promoting Ill Will and Spreading FalsehoodsA 59-year-old man will be charged in court for posting TikTok videos that allegedly promoted ill will between racial groups and contained false statements of fact. The charges include defamation, inciting racial tensions, and spreading misinformation, highlighting concerns about online content and its impact on social harmony. The case also involves a breach of a previous conditional warning.
Read more »
First Criminal Charges Under POFMA Filed Against Man Over TikTok VideosJay Ish'haq Rajoo faces charges including defamation and promoting ill will related to TikTok videos. The charges, filed under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), involve allegations of defaming Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Chee Hong Tat, and attempting to incite racial disharmony. This is believed to be the first criminal charging under POFMA since it became law in 2019.
Read more »