SINGAPORE, Sep 4, 2025 — Social media giants Meta and X face mandated action after U.S. comedian Sammy Obeid ignored a government order to correct online statements deemed false. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information confirmed Thursday that the POFMA Office has been directed to issue targeted correction directions to both platforms.
Tech Giants Face Directives Over Comedian’s Uncorrected Posts
Table of Contents
Meta and X must now inform Singaporean users about flagged falsehoods in comedian Sammy Obeid’s online content.
- Meta and X will issue correction notices to users in Singapore.
- The notices are for posts by comedian Sammy Obeid containing falsehoods.
- Obeid failed to comply with an initial government correction order.
- Correction directions target Meta Platforms, Inc. and X Corp.
What happens when a comedian flouts official orders? Singapore is forcing Meta and X to step in, ensuring users get the full story. This move comes after comedian Sammy Obeid failed to comply with a Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) order issued earlier this week.
Government Orders Platform Action
The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) announced Thursday that the POFMA Office received instructions to provide targeted correction directions to Meta Platforms and X. These directives will require the tech companies to inform users in Singapore who have accessed or will access Mr. Obeid’s posts flagged as containing falsehoods.
An initial correction order was served to Mr. Obeid on Monday. This stemmed from statements made in his Facebook, Instagram, and X posts on August 27. The ministry stated these posts contained false claims regarding the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
The specific falsehoods alleged that IMDA demanded extensive edits to Obeid’s material, including removing all references to Israel, Palestine, and the Gaza conflict. The posts also claimed IMDA rejected his script even after he made all required changes, and that his Arts Entertainment Licence application was rejected due to fears he might deviate from his script onstage.
Obeid’s Non-Compliance Leads to Platform Intervention
The MDDI explained that a POFMA correction direction requires the individual to display correction notices alongside their original posts. “He does not have to remove the original posts,” the ministry noted. “These notices would provide readers with a link to the government’s clarification so they can read both versions and draw their own conclusions.”
However, Mr. Obeid did not comply with the correction direction. Consequently, the Minister for Digital Development and Information, Mrs. Josephine Teo, instructed the POFMA Office to issue these targeted directions to Meta Platforms, Inc., and X Corp.
What false claims did Sammy Obeid make? Obeid falsely claimed the IMDA required script edits related to the Israel-Palestine conflict and rejected his application due to fears of him going off-script.
Readers can access the full facts of this case on the Factually website.
