Parliament approved a new law to deliver fast takedowns and support for victims of online harms, and to create a one-stop Online Safety Commission (OSC) by June 2026. The OSC can order platforms, group admins, content posters, ISPs and app stores to remove harmful content, restrict offender accounts, or enable victim replies after platforms fail to act quickly.
What the law does
- One-stop help: OSC issues directions for rapid removal/restrictions; “no wrong door” coordination with other agencies.
- When victims can go direct: Immediate OSC help for intimate image abuse, image-based child abuse and doxing.
- Otherwise: Victims first report to the platform; if no response within 24 hours, they can escalate to OSC.
- Who qualifies: Singapore citizens/PRs or others with a prescribed Singapore connection (e.g., long-term residents).
Harms in scope (phased)
- Initial focus: online harassment, doxing, stalking, intimate image abuse, image-based child abuse.
- To follow: impersonation, deepfake abuse, inauthentic material, incitement of violence/enmity, non-consensual disclosure of private info, publication of false or reputationally harmful statements, and more (total 13 harms).
Penalties for non-compliance
- Individuals: up to $20,000 fine and/or 12 months’ jail; additional $2,000/day if continuing.
- Entities: up to $500,000 fine, plus $50,000/day if continuing.
- OSC may order access blocking (ISPs) or app removal (stores) for persistent non-compliance.
Appeals & safeguards
- Parties can appeal to the Commissioner, then to an independent appeal panel, and may seek judicial review.
- OSC will publish decision guidelines and illustrative examples.
- WP’s five amendments (including a “fair comment in public interest” carve-out and adding sexual grooming under OSC) were debated and voted down.
Why this matters
- IMDA’s 2025 study found platforms often take ≥5 days to act on valid harm reports—“highly unsatisfactory” for victims. The OSC aims to shrink response times, raise accountability, and foster safer online participation in Singapore.
*Source: Summary adapted from The Straits Times (Nov 5, 2025).*
