HSA looking to get anti-vape cyber surveillance tool with AI capabilities

• HSA is seeking a digital tool to monitor and enforce the ban on e-vaporiser sales, especially on social media.
• Two companies bid for the tender: Cobwebs Asia and Talons Laboratories, offering AI-powered surveillance tools.
• HSA actively monitors online vape sales; from January 2024 to March 2025, over 6,800 listings were removed from online platforms

SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is planning to buy a cyber surveillance tool specifically designed to target illegal vaping activities online.

Such activities include the sale and promotion of e-vaporisers on social networks.

Its search functions are expected to be extensive and include phone numbers, e-mails and IP addresses.

• HSA is seeking a digital tool to monitor and enforce the ban on e-vaporiser sales, especially on social media.
• Two companies bid for the tender: Cobwebs Asia and Talons Laboratories, offering AI-powered surveillance tools.
• HSA actively monitors online vape sales; from January 2024 to March 2025, over 6,800 listings were removed from online platforms

SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is planning to buy a cyber surveillance tool specifically designed to target illegal vaping activities online.

Such activities include the sale and promotion of e-vaporisers on social networks.

Its search functions are expected to be extensive and include phone numbers, e-mails and IP addresses.

HSA put up the tender on the government procurement portal, GeBiz, on March 28 and closed it on April 15.

All public sector invitations for quotations and tenders are posted on the platform. 

Tender documents indicate that the tool will be for both HSA and the Ministry of Health.


 

Cobwebs Asia, the Singapore office of US web surveillance company Penlink, made a bid of $959,053. Penlink merged with Israeli surveillance contractor Cobwebs Technologies in 2023.

The second supplier is Singaporean digital forensics company Talons Laboratories, which made a bid of $422,000. The company was founded by digital forensic professionals who previously worked in local law enforcement agencies.


 

The requirements set out in the tender include search functions across social media, forums and blogs. It should also be able to analyse profiles and score them based on risk levels, with AI-based analysis methods for deep target profiling.

Optional modules requested are for enhanced web investigations with location-based insights. The tender has not been awarded yet.

The Straits Times has contacted HSA for comment.


 

A large number of vape transactions here are arranged over the Telegram messaging platform, which HSA monitors alongside social media sites and e-commerce platforms.

HSA said on July 16 it had 

Possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000.