MCI's response to PQ on regulations on social media platforms to protect children

Parliament Sitting on 2 July 2024

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

*107. Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether there are any plans to introduce stricter regulations on social media platforms to protect children from potential addiction and harmful content.

Answer:

The Singapore Government strongly believes in protecting our citizens, especially children, from harmful online content and potential addiction. In this regard, regulation plays an important role.

On online harms, we have taken a targeted approach. Under the Broadcasting Act, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has designated six Social Media Services (SMSs) with significant reach or impact in Singapore. They are Facebook, HardwareZone, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. These SMSs are required to comply with the Code of Practice for Online Safety (Online Safety Code), which took effect on 18 July 2023. The Online Safety Code requires designated SMSs to have in place additional measures to enhance the online safety of children. These include ensuring that children are not targeted to receive content that SMSs are reasonably aware to be detrimental to their physical or mental well-being, having in place more restrictive account settings for children, and providing tools for children or their parents to manage their safety.

Designated SMSs are due to submit their first online safety compliance reports by end-July 2024, and we will evaluate their compliance with the Online Safety Code before assessing if there is a need to tighten any requirements. Age assurance remains one of our key considerations in ensuring the online safety of children. While most major social media services require users to be at least 13 years old, they rely primarily on users’ self-declaration. With the growing availability of age assurance methods, we are seriously studying how the industry can do more on this front to better protect children online.

Excessive use of social media is also a key concern associated with anxiety, depression, insomnia, and stress. These associations are linked to the duration, frequency, and number of social media platforms being used. It is as yet unclear if putting warning labels on social media platforms, on its own, will be effective in curbing excessive use. We have instead adopted a more holistic strategy which includes educating and providing stronger support to parents and children.

For parents who suspect that their children may have developed dependency on social media, they can seek help from community service providers such as TOUCH Community Services, which runs counselling and intervention programmes for affected youths. Alternatively, parents can tap on specialised services such as the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) for assessment and intervention.

We also recognise that it is important to go upstream to provide support and create awareness amongst parents early, even before the child is born. Prevention is better than cure. In this regard, the Government is committed to taking more decisive and effective measures to shape the habit of device usage. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) oversee the key touch points for children up to six years old, through child and maternity care, and pre-schools. They intend to make their advice on device usage and screen time clearer and more definitive, and to deliver them consistently across all healthcare settings, with more reminders. They can put such advice into practice in pre-schools and encourage their adoption at home. MOH and MSF will finalise and announce these initiatives in the coming months. At the same time, Ministry of Communications and Information is working with MOH and MSF to strengthen safeguards where practical.