PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON ENHANCING ONLINE SAFETY FOR USERS IN SINGAPORE

Summary of Responses to Public Consultation on Enhancing Online Safety for Users in Singapore

The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) conducted a public consultation on proposed measures to enhance online safety for Singapore-based users of social media services from 13 July 2022 to 10 August 2022. MCI also organised a series of engagement sessions with parents, youths, community group representatives and academics to gather their feedback and suggestions. At the close of the public consultation and engagement exercise, MCI received over 600 responses from a wide range of stakeholders, including members of the public, community groups and industry groups. 

Overall, respondents were supportive of the measures proposed by MCI to enhance online safety and provided their suggestions and feedback on the proposals. A summary of the key feedback received, and MCI’s response is set out below. 

1. Proposal for designated social media services to put in place systems and processes to safeguard against harmful online content

Respondents generally agreed with the proposal for designated social media services to have appropriate systems and processes to reduce exposure to harmful online content for Singapore-based users. Many agreed with the categories of harmful content identified, especially content associated with cyberbullying and explicit sexual content. Parents expressed concern over viral social media content featuring dangerous pranks and challenges that could be copied by their children. Some highlighted other areas of concern, such as harmful advertisements, online gaming, scams, misinformation and online impersonation. Some respondents suggested that penalties be imposed on social media services for non-compliance, while others sought assurance that the proposed measures would not affect user privacy or freedom of expression.

Industry groups called for an outcome-based approach in regulating social media services, which takes into account for example, their business models and size in implementing the proposed requirements. They also sought clarity on how designated services will be identified and defined, and to exclude services designed primarily for enterprise use.

MCI’s priority is to address harmful online content on designated social media services with significant reach or impact in Singapore, due to the prevalence and impact of such content on users, especially young users. While we focus on social media services for this round of measures, we will continue to study the other areas of concern raised. We will need to find the right balance between prioritising user safety and managing privacy and freedom of expression. Besides tackling harmful online content, we will continue to study the other areas of concern raised by respondents.

MCI agrees with the industry on the need to adopt an outcome-based approach towards enhancing online safety. In this regard, designated social media services will be given some flexibility to develop and implement the most appropriate solutions to tackle harmful online content on their services, taking into account their unique operating models. 

2. Proposed safety features and tools to manage exposure to harmful online content 

Respondents generally agreed with the importance of having safety features and tools on social media services to allow users to manage their exposure to harmful online content. Many were not aware of existing safety features on social media services, while some parents expressed concern that they lacked the knowledge to guide their children to use social media services safely. Respondents felt that more could be done by social media services to raise users’ awareness and usage of the safety features on their services. Respondents also suggested that social media services should proactively highlight self-help resources (e.g. counselling services and hotlines) to users seeking high-risk content. 

MCI encourages social media services to step up their efforts to raise users’ awareness of the safety features available on their services, and to convey information on self-help resources to users. MCI will also continue to work with other Government agencies as well as community partners to enhance public education efforts on online safety, to complement online safety regulations. 

3. Additional safeguards to protect young users from harmful online content

Respondents were supportive of the proposal for designated social media services to have additional safeguards for young users, such as online safety tools for parents/guardians and young users. Some suggested age verification systems for young users and mandatory tutorials on how users can protect themselves online. Industry groups suggested adopting an outcome-based approach when implementing safeguards for young users and for social media services to be given some flexibility to develop tools appropriate to their services’ risk profiles. 

MCI agrees that young users and/or their parents/guardians should have access to tools that enable them to manage their exposure to harmful content and unwanted interactions. These include tools to limit the visibility of young users’ accounts to the public, and the people who can contact and interact with them. Recognising that social media services differ in terms of their user profiles and the type of content published on their services, we will continue to work with the industry to study the feasibility of these suggestions as we apply an outcome-based approach to improving the safety of young users on these services. 

4. Ensuring an effective user reporting mechanism on social media services, and greater accountability to users

Most respondents supported the proposal for social media services to have an effective user reporting and resolution process that is prominent and easy to use, and where action is taken on user reports in a timely manner. Some respondents shared their experiences where content reported by them was not removed by the services. Many suggested that the social media services should update users on the decision taken and allow appeals for dismissed reports. 

Respondents were also supportive of the proposal for social media services to release annual reports on the effectiveness of their content moderation policies and practices to combat harmful content. Some noted that the reports were a way to hold social media companies accountable to the public, in relation to user safety.

MCI agrees that designated social media services should have an accessible, effective, and easy-to-use user reporting mechanism. Designated social media services should also submit annual accountability reports on the effectiveness of their measures to combat harmful content, and these reports will be made public. 

5. Proposal to allow IMDA to direct social media services to disable access to egregious content

Respondents, including industry groups, said that explanations should be provided on why the specific content, where access is disabled, was deemed harmful. Industry groups also suggested that social media services be given some flexibility on the timelines for such content to be removed, taking into consideration the severity of the harmful content and the resources of the service.

When issuing such directions to social media services, the egregious content of concern will be made clear to the services. The timeline requirements for social media services to comply with the directions will take into account the need to mitigate users’ exposure to the spread of egregious content circulating on the services. 

6. Collaboration between community, private sector and Government in the area of online safety

Most respondents recognised the importance of public education to guide users, especially young users, in dealing with harmful online content and engaging with other users online in a safe and respectful manner. Many suggested that in addition to user education efforts by the social media services, the Government could tap on school and parent/peer networks, as key conduits for public education and outreach to parents and young users. 

Respondents, especially representatives from community groups, suggested that the community could partner the Government and industry to raise awareness of existing resources for parents and children on online safety. Academics suggested that social media services could share data with the research community to facilitate studies on the prevalence and severity of harmful content in Singapore’s context. They noted that such data and research could help in the formulation of community standards that were both data-driven and sensitive to Singapore’s local context. 

Some respondents also suggested that the Government could set up advisory panels, comprising experts and appointed members of the public, who could continue to reflect public feedback and concerns on online safety issues to the Government and social media services. 

MCI agrees that online safety regulations need to be complemented by effective public and user education. To equip Singaporeans with the knowledge and skills to go online safely, securely and safeguard themselves against online harms and threats, the Government has launched public education programmes, such as NLB’s Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate (S.U.R.E.) programme and MOE’s refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum to impart digital media and information literacy and cybersecurity skills to Singaporeans, including young users. 

We welcome the participation of the community and industry in making online spaces safer, to be part of the nation-wide Digital for Life (DfL) movement to help citizens of all ages and walks of life embrace digital learning as a lifelong pursuit. In support of the DfL, the Media Literacy Council (MLC) runs programmes for youths and parents to promote responsible online behaviour to create a safer and kinder internet. MLC has also produced resources (e.g. infographics, handbooks, tip sheets), which are accessible on www.betterinternet.sg, to educate members of the public on how they can keep themselves and their loved ones safe online. We will also explore further the suggestion on advisory panels, and how the Government can facilitate and coordinate ground-up efforts. 

Creating a Safer Online Space for All

MCI thanks all respondents for the wide-ranging feedback provided. While this key summary may not have captured every feedback received, all feedback have been noted and carefully considered. MCI will provide further updates on our plans to enhance online safety for Singapore-based users of social media services in due course. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders in the community and industry as well as public sector to equip Singaporeans with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves and their loved ones safe online. We also continue to welcome feedback and suggestions to enhance online safety for users in Singapore. 

Ministry of Communications and Information
29 September 2022