New Bill to give online harm victims quick redress tabled in Parliament

It will progressively deal with eight other types of online harm. They include online impersonation, inauthentic material or deepfake abuse, online instigation of disproportionate harm, incitement of violence and enmity as well as the publication of false material or reputationally harmful statements.

Victims need to be Singapore citizens or permanent residents, or possess some prescribed connection to Singapore to receive help from the OSC.

After a victim makes a report to the OSC, the agency may issue directions to take down the harmful content, restrict the perpetrator’s online account or allow the victim to post a reply. The directions may be issued to content communicators, administrators, platforms, Internet service providers or app stores.

If an individual fails to comply with a direction, a fine of up to $20,000 or a jail term not exceeding 12 months, or both, may be imposed. A fine of not more than $2,000 for each day the offence continues may also apply after conviction.

Entities which fail to comply with a direction can be liable to a fine not exceeding $500,000. A further fine not exceeding $50,000 for each day the offence continues may be imposed after conviction.

If directions are not complied with, the OSC can issue an access blocking order to an Internet service provider, or an app removal order to an app distribution service.

For non-compliance, an Internet service provider may be fined up to $250,000. A further fine of up to $20,000 for each day the offence continues may also apply after conviction.

An app distribution service may be fined up to $500,000. A further fine not exceeding $50,000 for each day the offence continues may also be imposed after conviction.

Affected parties who are not satisfied with OSC’s decisions can make an appeal to an independent panel, which will be appointed by the Minister for Digital Development and Information.

The Bill also provides a new legal basis for individuals to sue content communicators, administrators and platforms for failing to perform their duties.

“The court will be able to grant remedies such as compensatory damages and injunctions,” said the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the Ministry of Law (MinLaw).

For one thing, communicators must not publish or engage in online harassment, doxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse, image-based child abuse, online impersonation, inauthentic material abuse, online instigation of disproportionate harm and incitement of violence.

Administrators and platforms, too, must take reasonable measures to address reported online harms when notified. Platforms with greater reach will be subject to additional requirements like time taken to respond to user reports, said MDDI and MinLaw.

The new measures will ensure that communicators of online harms, who are often emboldened by online anonymity to commit harm with impunity, can be better identified and held accountable.

For instance, the OSC can require platforms to provide information on the identity of end users suspected of causing online harm. Platforms with greater reach are also required to take further reasonable steps to collect additional identity information from communicators of online harms.

Victims may then apply for the disclosure of a perpetrator’s identity to file a civil claim against the party. Where such information is disclosed, conditions will be imposed to ensure that the victim does not misuse it.

A steering committee comprising members from government agencies, non-profit organisations and academia contributed to the development of the Bill over the last five years. A public consultation on the proposed legislation and measures, conducted over a month in 2024, received broad public support. Their feedback was considered in finalising the Bill.

Chairwoman of non-profit organisation SG Her Empowerment (SHE) Stefanie Yuen Thio said that sexual images shared, especially of children, are particularly shocking and traumatic, which is a reason why more immediate relief is provided.

But the OSC is not the policeman of the overall Internet. “There is an existing avenue for individuals to make an in-app report, and for the platforms to remove the post where this violates the platform’s community standards. This should be the first recourse for anyone experiencing a harm,” she said.

Individuals can also seek help from SHE’s support centre, SheCares, which has been accredited as a trusted flagger by many of the major platforms to help them make a report. This has resulted in a faster takedown of the offending post, added Ms Yuen Thio.