Proposal to Make Database of Objectionable Publications under Undesirable Publications Act Available for Reference Publicly

28 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Ministry can consider making the database of objectionable publications under the Undesirable Publications Act publicly available for reference.

Mrs Josephine Teo: IMDA’s database enables registered importers and distributors to check if a publication has been disallowed, before they proceed with purchases and distribution of the publication. Importers, publishers and retailers, essentially, self-regulate based on the Undesirable Publications Act (UPA) and IMDA’s content guidelines, which are available on IMDA’s website. IMDA steps in when there is public feedback or complaints, or when importers refer publications to IMDA for advice. The database, therefore, only contains titles that IMDA has reviewed. As it is not exhaustive, making it available for public reference might lead the public to wrongly rely on it. Nevertheless, anyone who is in doubt whether a publication they intend to distribute may be considered objectionable, can approach IMDA for advice.