In brief
The Singapore Government plans to introduce legislation in early 2027 to mandate stronger safeguards to better protect teenagers using social media from addiction, algorithmic manipulation, dangerous interactions with strangers and other online harms.
The proposals centre around three key measures: (i) mandatory age assurance, (ii) enhanced safeguards to make social media safer by design for teen users, and (iii) potential age-based access restrictions for platforms that are unable to comply.
The measures would initially apply to Singapore's six designated social media services: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and HardwareZone. The measures may be subsequently expanded to other online services and platforms, including AI chatbots, gaming sites, and messaging platforms.
In more detail
Mandatory age assurance
The Government indicated that age self-declaration is no longer sufficient for social media platforms and that platforms will likely be required to implement age assurance measures to distinguish younger users. A single attempt to verify a user's age may also be insufficient, and platforms may have to require users to reverify their age.
Possible approaches include checking government-issued identity documents or credit card information, biometrics and/or analysing online usage.
Singapore is expected to adopt an outcome-based approach similar to that already adopted for app stores, under which platform operators may implement their preferred age assurance solution, subject to regulatory review and ongoing audits to verify success.
The Government also emphasised that the age assurance measures must balance effectiveness with privacy considerations and be implemented proportionately.
Safeguards for teenage users
The Government is considering the following safeguards to better protect teenagers from excessive and problematic social media use, consistent with recommendations from the Ministry of Health's expert panel on mental well-being:
- Restrictions on direct messaging by strangers
- Safeguards relating to algorithmic feeds
- Limits on autoplay functionality
- Measures addressing infinite scroll
- Daily usage limits for younger users
Notably, Singapore appears to favour a default "safety-by-design" approach. For example, autoplay could be disabled by default for teen users, whilst allowing parental autonomy to enable and adjust autoplay settings where appropriate.
Higher minimum age requirements for non-compliant platforms
The Government also appears to favour a "graduated access" model rather than a social media blanket ban, with platforms providing age-appropriate versions of their services to younger users. Under this approach, users aged 13 to 17 would continue to access social media services, but with the aforementioned age-appropriate protections and parental controls where relevant.
However, where a platform is unable or unwilling to implement the mandated safeguards, Singapore may require that platform to restrict access for users under 18. The Government considers 18 years of age to be an appropriate benchmark because it is generally recognised as the age of adulthood and aligns with existing app-store protections relating to adult content in Singapore.
Looking ahead
The Government intends to introduce legislative amendments in early 2027 to facilitate enforcement powers for this new proposed regime. Engagements with the designated social media services have been ongoing, particularly regarding age assurance requirements.
This announcement also signals a broader regulatory shift. Beyond social media platforms, the Government said it is considering appropriate safeguards for other digital services used by children, including online messaging, gaming services and AI chatbots.
Importantly, the Government has framed these measures as only one component of a broader strategy to promote healthier digital safety habits. Alongside regulatory intervention, policymakers continue to emphasise the role of parents, schools and wider society in addressing excessive and problematic use of online services.
Key takeaways
The proposals represent a significant evolution of Singapore's online safety framework, shifting the regulatory focus from content moderation, parental responsibility and platform self-regulation towards mandatory online safety by design and age-appropriate safeguards.
If implemented, affected platforms may need to revisit their age-assurance processes, user settings for younger users, recommendation systems, engagement features and parental control mechanisms. Businesses operating social media, messaging, gaming and AI-enabled services should monitor developments closely, as the measures may eventually extend beyond the current group of designated social media services.
Given the Government's clear preference for proactive safeguards over outright bans, platform operators should begin assessing whether their products can support differentiated experiences for younger users and demonstrate the effectiveness of those protections to regulators.
For more information on how this may affect your business, please reach out to your usual Baker McKenzie contact.
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