Singapore proposes law to help victims of online harms like sexual harassment and stalking
If passed, the Bill will establish a new Online Safety Commission (OSC) which can issue directions such as taking down content, restricting accounts or allowing victims to post replies.
A teenager using his phone at night. (Photo: iStock)
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SINGAPORE: A Bill tabled in Singapore's parliament on Wednesday (Oct 15) proposes measures to empower victims of online harms to seek timely relief and obtain redress, as part of moves to strengthen online safety and protection.
Introduced by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the Ministry of Law (MinLaw), the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill aims to establish a new Online Safety Commission (OSC), an agency that will administer a statutory reporting mechanism for victims to seek remedies for specified online harms.
The OSC, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong last year, will address five types of online harm by the end of the first half of 2026. They are: Online harassment (including online sexual harassment), doxxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse.
Other categories of online harms will be implemented progressively. These include: Online impersonation, inauthentic material abuse, online instigation of disproportionate harm, incitement of violence or enmity, publication of false material or statements harmful to reputation, and the non-consensual disclosure of private information.
Under the Bill, statutory torts will also be introduced to provide a clear legal basis for victims to hold those responsible accountable. The Bill will also enhance accountability of perpetrators through improved disclosure of user identity information.
GROWING EXPOSURE TO ONLINE HARMS
MDDI and MinLaw noted in a release that while digital access has become an integral part of daily life, it has also given rise to serious concerns.
"For example, bad actors have misused the internet to harass or bully individuals and distributed harmful content like intimate image abuse, with deleterious consequences for victims and society," the ministries said.
According to a recent survey by MDDI, almost 85 per cent of respondents in Singapore encountered harmful online content, and more than 30 per cent experienced harmful online behaviour in the past year.
Sexual and violent content were among the most frequent types of harmful online content encountered. This was followed by cyberbullying and content causing racial or religious tension.
These findings underscore the urgent need for stronger protections for victims, said MDDI and MinLaw.
While there are existing laws such as the Online Criminal Harms Act, the new Bill broadens the spectrum of online harms covered, and will “contribute to a safer and more conducive online public square, where Singaporeans can actively participate in civic discourse without causing undue harm to others".
KEY PROVISIONS
The OSC will be headed by a commissioner appointed by the Minister for Digital Development and Information.
“Victims will be required, in most cases, to first report the harm they have experienced to the online service provider before submitting a report to the OSC,” MDDI and MinLaw said.
“For specified categories of online harms that warrant urgent relief, such as intimate image abuse and child abuse material, victims may seek remedies from the OSC immediately. It will be an offence for a complainant to submit false information to the OSC."
The OSC will be able to issue directions to address online harm, such as taking down harmful content, restricting accounts or allowing victims to post replies.
“These directions may be issued to communicators of the harmful content, administrators of online locations or platforms where the harmful content is hosted,” MDDI and MinLaw said.
Failure to comply with these directions will constitute a criminal offence.
The OSC may also take additional measures such as issuing an access blocking order or app removal order.
The Bill also seeks to introduce statutory torts to clarify the duties and liabilities of the three main groups of communicators, administrators and platforms.
A statutory tort is a civil wrong created by legislation; and when proven, can result in the likes of monetary compensation for victims.
Under the torts, communicators must not communicate, publish or engage in online harm; administrators must not facilitate such harms in spaces they manage and must take reasonable measures when notified; and platforms must take reasonable measures to address specified online harms upon receiving notice of such harm, among others.
“Certain platforms, such as those with greater reach, will be subject to additional requirements, for example, on the time taken to respond to user reports,” MDDI and MinLaw said.
“Overall, the statutory torts will provide victims with a clear cause of action against the above-mentioned parties, and allow victims to seek redress from the Court. The Court will be able to grant remedies such as compensatory damages and injunctions,” the ministries added.
A nationwide survey has revealed that most teenagers and parents believe social media companies should take more responsibility for protecting users from online harms. Respondents have also urged schools to play a larger role in offering digital literacy lessons. They are also calling for stricter regulations to ensure a safer online environment. Alif Amsyar reports, while Dr Clara Lee, a research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, shares more about the state of online safety in Singapore.
The Bill will also introduce measures to ensure that communicators of online harms, who are often emboldened by online anonymity to commit harms with impunity, can be better identified and held accountable, said MDDI and MinLaw.
The OSC can require platforms to provide identity information of users suspected of causing online harm, where such information is already in the platforms’ possession.
“However, bad actors may deliberately withhold their identity information from platforms, frustrating efforts to trace them,” MDDI and MinLaw said. “To remedy this, certain platforms, such as those with greater reach, can also be asked to take further reasonable steps to collect additional identity information from communicators of online harms."
Additionally, victims may apply to the OSC for disclosure of such information for specific purposes, such as bringing a claim under a statutory tort.
