Avenues of Recourse when Social Media Organisations Do Not Comply with Government's Directions

100 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Government has avenues of recourse in the event a social media organisation does not comply with directions to (i) disable access to harmful content (ii) disallow accounts that have such content or (iii) remove specified types of egregious content; and (b) if so, what are they.

Mrs Josephine Teo: Last month, MCI announced details of two proposed Codes of Practice to strengthen safety for users of social media services. The first Code of Practice on Online Safety will require designated social media services in Singapore to implement upstream system-wide processes to enhance online safety for their users, particularly the young. Where egregious harmful content remains available despite the social media services’ content moderation systems, a second Content Code for Social Media Services will allow IMDA to direct service providers to disable access to such content for end users in Singapore; this will also apply to social media services not covered by the first Code.

Like many governments around the world, Singapore is looking at ways to effectively regulate social media services. As with all forms of regulations, non-compliance must result in enforcement actions. MCI has studied relevant international regulatory models and provisions under existing local laws. We will provide details of the enforcement framework in due course.