Notice of IMDA’s Proposal to Issue Code of Practice for Online Safety
27 March 2023
The IMDA regulations have been empowered by the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, which became effective on 1 Feb 2023. The act authorises IMDA to release Codes of Practice that mandate designated Online Communication Services ("OCSs") to implement system-wide measures for ensuring online safety on a large scale and protecting end-users in Singapore.
IMDA proposes to issue a Code of Practice for Online Safety (“Code”) to require Social Media Services (“SMSs”) which are designated/will be designated under section 45K(1) of the Broadcasting Act 1994 to have systems and processes in place to curb the spread of harmful content on their service and empower end-users to manage their own safety, with additional safeguards for children.
IMDA will be seeking views and comments on the proposed Code from to-be-designated SMSs until 24 April 2023.*
A draft of the Code, published on 3 October 2022, can be found here: Codes of Practice - Media. A final version of the Code, along with the list of designated SMSs, will be published after taking into consideration views and comments from to-be-designated SMSs.
*This consultation has closed.
In discharging its role, IMDA engages multiple stakeholders from the public to industry players to seek their views on a wide range of issues that impact the sector.
In line with its emphasis on public engagement, IMDA regularly conducts consultation sessions with the public and industry. This process helps IMDA to ensure that its guidelines, codes, and standards remain relevant and aligned with community standards and social norms in compliance with IMDA regulations.