Websites that regularly report on Singapore including Yahoo! News will have to get a license from June 1, putting them on par with newspapers and television new outlets, in a move seen by some as a bid to rein in free-wheeling Internet news.
Lobby group Reporters Without Borders, in its latest report, ranked Singapore 149th globally in terms of press freedom, down 14 places from 2012 and below many of its neighbours.
The MDA said the new regulation did not apply to blogs, though adding: "If they take on the nature of news sites, we will take a closer look and evaluate them accordingly".
The regulation drew criticism from some Internet users who saw it as an attempt to stifle online news not affiliated with the government. Full story
Related:
- 10 online news sites must follow traditional media regulations: MDA - Yahoo! News Singapore
- Singapore to Regulate Yahoo, Other Online News Sites - CNBC.com
- Singapore tightens rules on news websites - Inquirer.net
- Singapore to regulate websites with local news content - The Malaysian Insider
- Singapore to regulate Yahoo!, other online news sites - The Economic Times
- Yahoo News and certain other media companies must acquire license in Singapore - SlashGear
- Singapore to regulate Yahoo!, other online news sites - The Indian Express
