The Singapore government is creating laws to protect the youth from harmful content – rules that could force social media platforms to block or remove posts, Bloomberg reported.
In a Facebook post, Josephine Teo, the minister for communications and information, outlined two codes of practice for social media.
The codes push social media services to develop safety mechanisms and community standards and aim to protect users from “egregious harms” such as “content that can threaten public health.” These rules would allow Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority to direct social media platforms to “take action” against such content.
“Online safety is a growing concern, and Singapore is not alone in seeking stronger safeguards for our people,” Teo wrote. “More can be done given the evolving nature of harms on these platforms and the socio-cultural context of our society.”
Content laws are not new to Singapore. In 2019, the country proposed rules to counter fake news, which allowed the government to order platforms to remove posts that are “against the public interest” and post corrections. Though Singapore says it is protecting its citizens, critics say these moves violate freedom of speech.
Other countries, such as the UK and Germany, have also enforced online content regulations. These laws have been used to battle misinformation, especially regarding the Covid-19 pandemic.
See also: These are the most active investors in Singapore’s startups
Editing by Miguel Cordon and Jaclyn Tiu
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