Singapore considers powers to block content on TikTok and Facebook

The Singapore government will set up a new Online Safety Commission with the authority to block harmful online content on platforms including TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and more. The move targets a rising tide of AI-driven threats, from deepfakes and cyber scams to online bullying and gives victims a direct route to demand action from platforms, the Ministry of Digital Development (MDDI) and Ministry of Law said in a statement announcing the bill.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong first announced plans for the OSC on October 1, describing the agency as a “trusted source of support, who can act on their behalf to direct perpetrators and service providers to put a stop to the harms.” Two weeks later, the MDDI and Ministry of Law formalised the OSC in Parliament, tabling the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill. 

“Bad actors have misused the internet to harass or bully individuals and distribute harmful content like intimate image abuse, with deleterious consequences for victims and society,” the statement said. 

The OSC will crack down on 13 types of online harms, with harassment, doxxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse, and image-based child abuse as initial priorities. It plans to then focus on online impersonation, inauthentic material or deepfake abuse, online instigation of disproportionate harm, incitement of violence and enmity, and the publication of false material or reputationally harmful statements. 

In Singapore, some 84% reported encountering harmful content online, according to MDDI’s Perceptions of Digitalisation Survey. A third (33%) of respondents indicated that they experienced illegal activity, such as scams or the sale of prohibited items, most often, followed by sexual and violent content, suggesting rising concern for tech companies to better moderate their digital platforms. 

The new bill adds heft to Singapore’s enforcement of its online safety laws, which have already prompted compliance updates from major tech platforms. In September, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed Meta to enhance facial recognition and review scam-related content priority for users in Singapore. Meanwhile, Google pledged to implement age checks across its services by next year, as per Singapore authorities' requirements to block under-18 users from downloading age-inappropriate software. 

For brands and advertisers in Singapore, the new framework may enhance content safety for digital ad placements as tech platforms enhance their verification processes to comply with the OSC’s safety mandates. 

Individuals who fail to comply with the OSC’s regulations may be fined up to US$15,465 (SG$20,000) and jailed for up to 12 months, while companies that flout these rules risk fines of up to US$386,600 (SG$500,000).