List of websites blocked in Singapore

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This is a list of websites that are blocked in Singapore. Under the responsibility of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), these websites are mainly unlicensed gambling, pimping (known as vice related activities), copyright infringement/piracy, and for spreading falsehoods. Some websites may be blocked as suspected scam websites. [1] However, websites that are blocked in Singapore are easily circumvented by a DNS change without the need to use a VPN. [2]

Contents

As of 2019, there were 202 vice-related websites blocked by Singaporean authorities. [3]

Table of blocked websites

Site nameDomain or URLType of siteReasonApplicable lawImplementation dateRef
Ashley Madison ashleymadison.com online dating service "promotes and facilitates extramarital affairs"November 2013 [4]
Asia Sentinel asiasentinel.comAmerica-based blog about Asia"not complying with POFMA correction direction" POFMA 2 June 2023 [5]
Lawyers for Liberty lawyersforliberty.orghuman rights NGO"non-compliance" with a correction direction issued against a statement on its website POFMA 23 January 2020 [6]
The Pirate Bay thepiratebay.orgBitTorrent index of digital contentcopyright infringing/piracyCopyright ActMay 2018 [7]
Playboy playboy.comAmerican men's lifestyle and entertainment magazinenudity1996 [8]
Pornhub pornhub.com pornography video sharing siteBlocked due to pornography2014 [9]
Redtube redtube.com pornography video sharing site"symbolic statement" of the country's societal valuesMay 2018 [10]
SolarmovieSolarmovie.phBitTorrent index of digital contentcopyright infringing/piracyCopyright ActFebruary 2016 [7] [11]
States Times Review Socio-political websitedefamation of Singapore government POFMA November 2018 [12] [13]
YouPorn youporn.com pornography video sharing site"symbolic statement" of the country's societal valuesMay 2018 [10]
KickassTorrents BitTorrent index of digital contentcopyright infringing/piracyCopyright ActMay 2018 [7]

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References

  1. cue (5 March 2023). "Fake ST, Zaobao and CNA news sites that promote gambling detected and blocked | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. "53 piracy websites just got blocked in Singapore, but it won't faze the internet-savvy - Coconuts". coconuts.co. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  3. "202 vice websites blocked by police and IMDA so far: Shanmugam". sg.news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  4. "MDA blocks access to Ashley Madison website". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  5. "Singapore to block Asia Sentinel website for not complying with POFMA correction direction". CNA. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  6. "Government orders that Lawyers for Liberty's website be blocked in Singapore". CNA. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 hermes (21 May 2018). "53 piracy websites blocked in battle to curb copyright breach". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  8. Loo, Gregory (14 October 2015). "Is Playboy set for Singapore after dropping nude pictures? MDA says..." The New Paper. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  9. "Singaporeans last almost 10 minutes watching porn: Study | Coconuts Singapore". Coconuts. 19 December 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Singapore bans two porn websites in symbolic move". Reuters. 23 May 2008. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  11. hermesauto (16 February 2016). "Solarmovie.ph is first piracy website to be blocked under amended Copyright Act". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  12. "States Times Review to close down after getting blocked in S'pore by authorities". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  13. "States Times Review website live again after being blocked by Singapore government". 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.

See also