Singapore Launches Online Safety Commission to Address Online Harms
Singapore’s newly established Online Safety Commission (OSC) began operations on Monday (29/6), providing a new channel for victims of harmful online actions to request content removal, support services, and pursue civil legal remedies. The commission will initially handle five categories of harmful online actions: online harassment, including sexual harassment; doxxing; online stalking; intimate image abuse; and image-based child abuse. This was stated by Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Ministry of Law, and the commission in a joint statement on Sunday (28/6). Additional categories have been identified but will be implemented in subsequent phases. For cases of online harassment and online stalking, victims are directed to first report the relevant content to the platform where it appeared. If the platform fails to respond promptly or provides an inadequate response, victims can file a report with the commission. Cases involving doxxing, intimate image abuse, and image-based child abuse can be reported directly to the commission. The commission can order the user who uploaded the harmful content, the administrator of the online group or page, or the platform hosting the content to take action if there is reason to suspect that a harmful online action has occurred. The commission can request content to be removed, access to be disabled, or user accounts to be restricted. Failure to comply with such an order is a criminal offence. If an administrator or platform fails to comply with the commission’s order, internet service providers can be directed to block access to the specific site, page, or online space in Singapore, while app stores can be ordered to stop distributing the non-compliant platform’s application in the country. Individuals who do not know the identity of the party that harmed them online can also request the commission’s assistance to identify the perpetrators. The commission also works with community organisations that provide counselling and other assistance.