\n<\/p>\n
IMDA found that X failed to curb a sharp rise in CSEM cases involving Singapore users. The number of such cases more than doubled from 33 in 2024 to 73 in 2025, despite the regulator informing the platform of the issue in 2024 and sharing detection indicators with them.<\/p>\n
The cases of content sharing or linking to CSEM \u2013 68 per cent of the 2025 cases \u2013 involved coordinated networks of accounts using terms commonly associated with CSEM, with links that direct Singapore users to external sites hosting CSEM.<\/p>\n
The remaining 32 per cent of 2025 cases were self-generated CSEM. These involved accounts sharing posts with self-generated explicit sexual imagery from users in Singapore who were purportedly under 18.\u00a0<\/p>\n
These users included commonly known number patterns on their profile indicating their date of birth or age.<\/p>\n
The report also found that a majority of these 73 cases were also on the platform for an extended period of time, ranging from nine to 31 weeks on average.<\/p>\n
“X therefore had ample time to proactively detect and remove these cases,” said IMDA in its report.<\/p>\n
IMDA pointed out that all 73 cases violated X\u2019s own policies against CSEM however, X only removed them after they were flagged by IMDA.<\/p>\n
Last year, IMDA detected terrorism content shared by Singapore-based accounts for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There were 17 such cases of terrorism content shared by Singapore-based accounts on TikTok that were not proactively detected and removed in 2025.<\/p>\n
Some videos used edited footage or audio linked to known terrorist organisations that were blended with benign content. In some cases, the terrorism-related audio was also concealed under the platform’s “original sound” label, which adds it to TikTok’s database for others to use in their posts as well.<\/p>\n
According to the report, there were instances where TikTok initially assessed the content as non-violating even after user reports. They were removed only after IMDA intervened.<\/p>\n
This demonstrates the weakness of TikTok’s user reporting system, said the authority.<\/p>\n
IMDA stressed that CSEM and terrorism content are \u201cvery egregious harms\u201d that must be proactively detected and swiftly removed before users encounter them, as required under Singapore\u2019s Code of Practice for Online Safety for social media services.<\/p>\n
In response to IMDA\u2019s findings, TikTok said it does not allow violent and hateful organisations or individuals on its platform.<\/p>\n
It added that in the fourth quarter of 2025, its proactive systems successfully removed over 99 per cent of content violating its policy before it was reported, with over 93 per cent of content being removed within 24 hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs violent extremist methodologies and evasion techniques continue to evolve, so do we. We continually evaluate and strengthen our policies and systems, and are committed to partnering with IMDA under the enhanced supervision scheme,\u201d said TikTok in IMDA’s report.<\/p>\n
X said it maintains a zero tolerance policy towards child sexual exploitation material, adding that it is deeply committed to child safety.<\/p>\n
“We have made meaningful progress in restricting minors\u2019 access to adult content on X, and warmly welcome IMDA\u2019s recognition of this,” said the platform in IMDA’s report.<\/p>\n
“We take our responsibility to young users very seriously and continue to strengthen safeguards in this area.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n