Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill

PRELIMINARY

—(1) This Act is the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.(2) A notification made under this section may specify that different provisions of the Schedule come into operation on different dates.

This Act is the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.

A notification made under this section may specify that different provisions of the Schedule come into operation on different dates.

The purposes of this Act are —(a)to provide persons affected by online harmful activity with —(i)timely means of redress; and(ii)statutory rights of action and remedies in court proceedings;(b)to improve and promote online safety for persons;(c)to deter and prevent online harmful activity and mitigate harm caused to persons by such activity; and(d)to promote accountability and responsible and reasonable conduct among participants and stakeholders in the online environment.

—(1) In this Act —“access”, in relation to any online activity, online material, online location or online service, includes —(a)access that is subject to a precondition, such as the use of a password;(b)access by way of push technology;(c)access by way of a standing request; and(d)access for a limited time only;“access blocking order” means an order described in section 44;“access disabling direction” means a direction described in section 32;“access disabling (class of material) direction” means a direction described in section 33;“account” includes —(a)a free account;(b)a prepaid account; and(c)anything that may reasonably be regarded as the equivalent of an account;“account restriction (administrator) direction” means a direction described in section 38;“account restriction (online service) direction” means a direction described in section 39;“administrator”, in relation to an online location, means a person who —(a)develops and maintains the online location;(b)organises, manages or supervises the use of the online location;(c)manages or regulates membership of, or access to, the online location; or(d)has the authority to decide whether any material may be included on or excluded from the online location or where to place the material on the online location, or otherwise exercises editorial control over the online location,but does not include —(e)an online service provider which meets any of the criteria in paragraphs (a) to (d) only because the online location is made available through the service it provides;(f)the provider of an internet access service, or of an app distribution service, which meets any of the criteria in paragraphs (a) to (d) only because the provider provides such a service in relation to the online location; and(g)a public agency;Illustrations (a) A provides a social media service. As the provider of that service, A has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from any online location maintained using its service. B maintains an online location using A’s service. As the party that maintains that online location on A’s service, B has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from the online location. A has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from B’s online location only because the online location is made available through the service that A provides. B (and not A) is an administrator of that online location. (b) A provides a social media service. As the provider of that service, A has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from any online location maintained using its service. A maintains an online location using A’s service. If the online location were instead maintained by B, A’s service would have given B (as the party that maintains that online location) the authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from that online location. A is an administrator of the online location maintained by A.“advertisement”, in relation to any material, includes online material announcing by any means any offer to sell or distribute the material;“app” means an application software package that includes content accessible by end‑users, or allows end‑users to access content on the Internet through the installed application software;“app distribution service” means an online service that enables the electronic or digital distribution or download of an app;“app removal order” means an order described in section 45;“Appeal Committee” means an Online Safety Appeal Committee constituted under section 60(4);“Appeal Panel” means the Online Safety Appeal Panel established by section 60(1);“Assistant Commissioner” means an Assistant Commissioner of Online Safety appointed under section 5(2);“authorised officer” means an individual appointed as an authorised officer under section 6;“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Online Safety appointed under section 5(1);“communicate” or “communication”, in relation to any material, means to make the material available to one or more persons in Singapore on or through the Internet, but —(a)an administrator does not communicate material communicated by another person at an online location, only because the administrator administers that online location;(b)an online service provider does not communicate material communicated by another person on or through an online service, only because it provides the online service on or through which the material is communicated;(c)a provider of an internet access service does not communicate material communicated by another person on or through an internet access service, only because it provides the internet access service on or through which the material is communicated; and(d)a provider of an app distribution service does not communicate material communicated by another person on or through an app distribution service, only because it provides the app distribution service on or through which the material is communicated;IllustrationX posts a hyperlink to an image. X has communicated that image.“communicator” —(a)in relation to relevant material, means a person who communicates the relevant material; or(b)in relation to a relevant class of material, means a person who communicates any online material in the relevant class of material, but does not include a public agency;“Deputy Commissioner” means a Deputy Commissioner of Online Safety appointed under section 5(2);“doxxing” has the meaning given by section 10;“end‑user”, in relation to an online service, means a person who, whether or not in the course of business —(a)has access to any online activity; or(b)can conduct online activity,on or through the online service;“engagement reduction direction” means a direction described in section 40;“image” means a still, moving, recorded or unrecorded image and includes an image produced by any means and, where the context requires, a 3‑dimensional image;“image‑based child abuse” has the meaning given by section 14;“IMDA” means the Info‑communications Media Development Authority established by section 3 of the Info‑communications Media Development Authority Act 2016;“inauthentic material abuse” has the meaning given by section 16;“incitement of enmity” has the meaning given by section 20;“incitement of violence” has the meaning given by section 21;“instigate”, in relation to an act or omission, means to actively suggest, support, stimulate or encourage the act or omission;“intimate image abuse” has the meaning given by section 13;“labelling direction” means a direction described in section 37;“material” means information or material in any form, such as (but not limited to) —(a)material in oral, written, electronic or digital form;(b)material in audio, visual, audiovisual, pictorial or graphic form (for example, an anthropomorphic or humanlike depiction); and(c)material that consists of or contains a statement,and includes information or material in any combination of forms;ExamplesExamples of material are a message, a post, an article, a speech, a picture, a video recording and a sound recording.“non‑consensual disclosure of private information” has the meaning given by section 11;“online account” means an account on an online service;“online activity” means any activity (including but not limited to communication and publication) conducted by means of the Internet, which is conducted in or from Singapore or which is perceived by one or more persons in Singapore, and regulations may clarify the types of activities that are (or are not) online activities for the purposes of Parts 2 to 9;“online harassment” —(a)for the purposes of Parts 4, 5 and 6, has the meaning given by section 9(1) to (4); and(b)for the purposes of Parts 11 and 12, has the meaning given by section 9(1), (2) and (3) only;“online harmful activity” means any of the following types of online activities, other than an activity the definition of which in Part 3 has not been brought into operation:(a)online harassment;(b)doxxing;(c)non‑consensual disclosure of private information;(d)online stalking;(e)intimate image abuse;(f)image‑based child abuse;(g)online impersonation;(h)inauthentic material abuse;(i)publication of false material;(j)publication of statement harmful to reputation;(k)online instigation of disproportionate harm;(l)incitement of enmity;(m)incitement of violence;(n)any other prescribed type of online activity that is likely to cause harm to persons in Singapore (called in this Act a prescribed online harmful activity);“online impersonation” has the meaning given by section 15;“online instigation of disproportionate harm” has (other than in Part 10) the meaning given by section 19;“online location” means any internet domain, website, webpage, chatroom, chat group, channel, group, forum, social media account page or any other location, that can be accessed by means of the Internet;“online material” means material (including any computer program, machine code and internet link) that can be accessed at an online location by means of the Internet;“online service” means the whole or any part of any service on or through which online activity can be conducted and which can be accessed by means of the Internet, and regulations may clarify the types of services that are (or are not) online services;“online service provider” means the provider (other than a public agency) of an online service, where the online service provided is neither an internet access service nor an app distribution service;“online stalking” has the meaning given by section 12;“order following non‑compliance” means any of the following orders made under Division 4 of Part 5:(a)an access blocking order;(b)an app removal order;“owner”, in relation to an account, a relevant account or a relevant Singapore account, means a person who has control over the account and can use it to conduct online activity;“Part 5 direction” means any of the following directions:(a)a stop communication direction;(b)a stop communication (class of material) direction;(c)a restraining direction;(d)an access disabling direction;(e)an access disabling (class of material) direction;(f)a right‑of‑reply (user) direction;(g)a right‑of‑reply (online service) direction;(h)a labelling direction;(i)an account restriction (administrator) direction;(j)an account restriction (online service) direction;(k)an engagement reduction direction;“prescribed online service provider” means an online service provider or a class of online service providers prescribed by regulations;“public agency” means —(a)the Government, including any ministry, department, agency or Organ of State;(b)any board, commission, committee or tribunal appointed under any written law;(c)any statutory body; or(d)any other board, commission, committee or similar body appointed by the Government, or by a statutory body, for a public purpose;“publication of false material” has the meaning given by section 17;“publication of statement harmful to reputation” has the meaning given by section 18;“publish” or “publication”, in relation to material or information, means to make the material or information available on or through the Internet in any form such that the material or information is heard, seen or otherwise perceived by the public in Singapore or a section of the public in Singapore, but —(a)an administrator does not publish material published by another person at an online location, only because the administrator administers that online location;(b)an online service provider does not publish material published by another person on or through an online service, only because it provides the online service on or through which the material is published;(c)a provider of an internet access service does not publish material published by another person on or through an internet access service, only because it provides the internet access service on or through which the material is published; and(d)a provider of an app distribution service does not publish material published by another person on or through an app distribution service, only because it provides the app distribution service on or through which the material is published; “related person”, in relation to a person, means another person about whose safety or wellbeing the firstmentioned person would reasonably be expected to be seriously concerned;“relevant account”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an online account identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant app”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an app identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant class of material”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means a class of online material identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant location”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an online location identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant material”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means online material identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant online activity”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means online activity identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant service”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an online service identified in the notice, direction or order;“relevant Singapore account”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means a Singapore account identified in the notice, direction or order;“reply notice” means material contained or referred to in a right‑of‑reply (user) direction or a right‑of‑reply (online service) direction which the recipient of the direction must communicate in Singapore;“restraining direction” means a direction described in section 31;“right‑of‑reply (online service) direction” means a direction described in section 35;“right‑of‑reply (user) direction” means a direction described in section 34;“Singapore account” means an online account whose owner is —(a)a citizen of Singapore;(b)a permanent resident of Singapore;(c)an entity formed, constituted or registered in Singapore; or(d)an individual physically present in Singapore;“statement” means an expression of something using any word (including abbreviation and initial), number, image (moving or otherwise), sound, symbol or other representation, or a combination of any of these;“statutory body” means a body established or constituted by or under a public Act to perform or discharge a public function;“stop communication direction” means a direction described in section 29;“stop communication (class of material) direction” means a direction described in section 30.(2) In this Act —(a)a reference to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act includes a reference to the notice, direction or order (as the case may be) as varied or substituted under this Act;(b)a reference to communication of material includes a reference to causing the communication of the material;(c)a reference to publication of material includes a reference to causing the publication of the material; and(d)a reference to administration of an online location is a reference to the function which a person undertakes as an administrator of the online location.IllustrationX uses a bot to publish on a website insulting material that is likely to cause Y harassment. X has caused the insulting material to be published on the Internet.

In this Act —

“access”, in relation to any online activity, online material, online location or online service, includes —(a)access that is subject to a precondition, such as the use of a password;(b)access by way of push technology;(c)access by way of a standing request; and(d)access for a limited time only;

“access blocking order” means an order described in section 44;

“access disabling direction” means a direction described in section 32;

“access disabling (class of material) direction” means a direction described in section 33;

“account” includes —(a)a free account;(b)a prepaid account; and(c)anything that may reasonably be regarded as the equivalent of an account;

“account restriction (administrator) direction” means a direction described in section 38;

“account restriction (online service) direction” means a direction described in section 39;

“administrator”, in relation to an online location, means a person who —(a)develops and maintains the online location;(b)organises, manages or supervises the use of the online location;(c)manages or regulates membership of, or access to, the online location; or(d)has the authority to decide whether any material may be included on or excluded from the online location or where to place the material on the online location, or otherwise exercises editorial control over the online location,but does not include —(e)an online service provider which meets any of the criteria in paragraphs (a) to (d) only because the online location is made available through the service it provides;(f)the provider of an internet access service, or of an app distribution service, which meets any of the criteria in paragraphs (a) to (d) only because the provider provides such a service in relation to the online location; and(g)a public agency;Illustrations (a) A provides a social media service. As the provider of that service, A has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from any online location maintained using its service. B maintains an online location using A’s service. As the party that maintains that online location on A’s service, B has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from the online location. A has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from B’s online location only because the online location is made available through the service that A provides. B (and not A) is an administrator of that online location. (b) A provides a social media service. As the provider of that service, A has authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from any online location maintained using its service. A maintains an online location using A’s service. If the online location were instead maintained by B, A’s service would have given B (as the party that maintains that online location) the authority to decide whether material may be included on or excluded from that online location. A is an administrator of the online location maintained by A.

“advertisement”, in relation to any material, includes online material announcing by any means any offer to sell or distribute the material;

“app” means an application software package that includes content accessible by end‑users, or allows end‑users to access content on the Internet through the installed application software;

“app distribution service” means an online service that enables the electronic or digital distribution or download of an app;

“app removal order” means an order described in section 45;

“Appeal Committee” means an Online Safety Appeal Committee constituted under section 60(4);

“Appeal Panel” means the Online Safety Appeal Panel established by section 60(1);

“Assistant Commissioner” means an Assistant Commissioner of Online Safety appointed under section 5(2);

“authorised officer” means an individual appointed as an authorised officer under section 6;

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Online Safety appointed under section 5(1);

“communicate” or “communication”, in relation to any material, means to make the material available to one or more persons in Singapore on or through the Internet, but —(a)an administrator does not communicate material communicated by another person at an online location, only because the administrator administers that online location;(b)an online service provider does not communicate material communicated by another person on or through an online service, only because it provides the online service on or through which the material is communicated;(c)a provider of an internet access service does not communicate material communicated by another person on or through an internet access service, only because it provides the internet access service on or through which the material is communicated; and(d)a provider of an app distribution service does not communicate material communicated by another person on or through an app distribution service, only because it provides the app distribution service on or through which the material is communicated;IllustrationX posts a hyperlink to an image. X has communicated that image.

“communicator” —(a)in relation to relevant material, means a person who communicates the relevant material; or(b)in relation to a relevant class of material, means a person who communicates any online material in the relevant class of material, but does not include a public agency;

“Deputy Commissioner” means a Deputy Commissioner of Online Safety appointed under section 5(2);

“doxxing” has the meaning given by section 10;

“end‑user”, in relation to an online service, means a person who, whether or not in the course of business —(a)has access to any online activity; or(b)can conduct online activity,on or through the online service;

“engagement reduction direction” means a direction described in section 40;

“image” means a still, moving, recorded or unrecorded image and includes an image produced by any means and, where the context requires, a 3‑dimensional image;

“image‑based child abuse” has the meaning given by section 14;

“IMDA” means the Info‑communications Media Development Authority established by section 3 of the Info‑communications Media Development Authority Act 2016;

“inauthentic material abuse” has the meaning given by section 16;

“incitement of enmity” has the meaning given by section 20;

“incitement of violence” has the meaning given by section 21;

“instigate”, in relation to an act or omission, means to actively suggest, support, stimulate or encourage the act or omission;

“intimate image abuse” has the meaning given by section 13;

“labelling direction” means a direction described in section 37;

“material” means information or material in any form, such as (but not limited to) —(a)material in oral, written, electronic or digital form;(b)material in audio, visual, audiovisual, pictorial or graphic form (for example, an anthropomorphic or humanlike depiction); and(c)material that consists of or contains a statement,and includes information or material in any combination of forms;ExamplesExamples of material are a message, a post, an article, a speech, a picture, a video recording and a sound recording.

“non‑consensual disclosure of private information” has the meaning given by section 11;

“online account” means an account on an online service;

“online activity” means any activity (including but not limited to communication and publication) conducted by means of the Internet, which is conducted in or from Singapore or which is perceived by one or more persons in Singapore, and regulations may clarify the types of activities that are (or are not) online activities for the purposes of Parts 2 to 9;

“online harassment” —(a)for the purposes of Parts 4, 5 and 6, has the meaning given by section 9(1) to (4); and(b)for the purposes of Parts 11 and 12, has the meaning given by section 9(1), (2) and (3) only;

“online harmful activity” means any of the following types of online activities, other than an activity the definition of which in Part 3 has not been brought into operation:(a)online harassment;(b)doxxing;(c)non‑consensual disclosure of private information;(d)online stalking;(e)intimate image abuse;(f)image‑based child abuse;(g)online impersonation;(h)inauthentic material abuse;(i)publication of false material;(j)publication of statement harmful to reputation;(k)online instigation of disproportionate harm;(l)incitement of enmity;(m)incitement of violence;(n)any other prescribed type of online activity that is likely to cause harm to persons in Singapore (called in this Act a prescribed online harmful activity);

“online impersonation” has the meaning given by section 15;

“online instigation of disproportionate harm” has (other than in Part 10) the meaning given by section 19;

“online location” means any internet domain, website, webpage, chatroom, chat group, channel, group, forum, social media account page or any other location, that can be accessed by means of the Internet;

“online material” means material (including any computer program, machine code and internet link) that can be accessed at an online location by means of the Internet;

“online service” means the whole or any part of any service on or through which online activity can be conducted and which can be accessed by means of the Internet, and regulations may clarify the types of services that are (or are not) online services;

“online service provider” means the provider (other than a public agency) of an online service, where the online service provided is neither an internet access service nor an app distribution service;

“online stalking” has the meaning given by section 12;

“order following non‑compliance” means any of the following orders made under Division 4 of Part 5:(a)an access blocking order;(b)an app removal order;

“owner”, in relation to an account, a relevant account or a relevant Singapore account, means a person who has control over the account and can use it to conduct online activity;

“Part 5 direction” means any of the following directions:(a)a stop communication direction;(b)a stop communication (class of material) direction;(c)a restraining direction;(d)an access disabling direction;(e)an access disabling (class of material) direction;(f)a right‑of‑reply (user) direction;(g)a right‑of‑reply (online service) direction;(h)a labelling direction;(i)an account restriction (administrator) direction;(j)an account restriction (online service) direction;(k)an engagement reduction direction;

“prescribed online service provider” means an online service provider or a class of online service providers prescribed by regulations;

“public agency” means —(a)the Government, including any ministry, department, agency or Organ of State;(b)any board, commission, committee or tribunal appointed under any written law;(c)any statutory body; or(d)any other board, commission, committee or similar body appointed by the Government, or by a statutory body, for a public purpose;

“publication of false material” has the meaning given by section 17;

“publication of statement harmful to reputation” has the meaning given by section 18;

“publish” or “publication”, in relation to material or information, means to make the material or information available on or through the Internet in any form such that the material or information is heard, seen or otherwise perceived by the public in Singapore or a section of the public in Singapore, but —(a)an administrator does not publish material published by another person at an online location, only because the administrator administers that online location;(b)an online service provider does not publish material published by another person on or through an online service, only because it provides the online service on or through which the material is published;(c)a provider of an internet access service does not publish material published by another person on or through an internet access service, only because it provides the internet access service on or through which the material is published; and(d)a provider of an app distribution service does not publish material published by another person on or through an app distribution service, only because it provides the app distribution service on or through which the material is published;

“related person”, in relation to a person, means another person about whose safety or wellbeing the firstmentioned person would reasonably be expected to be seriously concerned;

“relevant account”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an online account identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant app”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an app identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant class of material”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means a class of online material identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant location”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an online location identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant material”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means online material identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant online activity”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means online activity identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant service”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means an online service identified in the notice, direction or order;

“relevant Singapore account”, in relation to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act, means a Singapore account identified in the notice, direction or order;

“reply notice” means material contained or referred to in a right‑of‑reply (user) direction or a right‑of‑reply (online service) direction which the recipient of the direction must communicate in Singapore;

“restraining direction” means a direction described in section 31;

“right‑of‑reply (online service) direction” means a direction described in section 35;

“right‑of‑reply (user) direction” means a direction described in section 34;

“Singapore account” means an online account whose owner is —(a)a citizen of Singapore;(b)a permanent resident of Singapore;(c)an entity formed, constituted or registered in Singapore; or(d)an individual physically present in Singapore;

“statement” means an expression of something using any word (including abbreviation and initial), number, image (moving or otherwise), sound, symbol or other representation, or a combination of any of these;

“statutory body” means a body established or constituted by or under a public Act to perform or discharge a public function;

“stop communication direction” means a direction described in section 29;

“stop communication (class of material) direction” means a direction described in section 30.

In this Act —(a)a reference to a notice, a direction or an order under this Act includes a reference to the notice, direction or order (as the case may be) as varied or substituted under this Act;(b)a reference to communication of material includes a reference to causing the communication of the material;(c)a reference to publication of material includes a reference to causing the publication of the material; and(d)a reference to administration of an online location is a reference to the function which a person undertakes as an administrator of the online location.IllustrationX uses a bot to publish on a website insulting material that is likely to cause Y harassment. X has caused the insulting material to be published on the Internet.

—(1) A public agency may not make a report under section 22(1) or (3), but a public agency may —(a)on behalf of a person —(i)make a report under Part 4; or(ii)make an application for reconsideration or appeal under Part 7; or(b)assist a person to —(i)make a report under Part 4; or(ii)make an application for reconsideration or appeal under Part 7.(2) A public agency must not be given a direction or an order under Part 5 or a direction under Part 7.(3) A public agency may not commence any claim in civil proceedings under Part 10, 11 or 12, and shall not be liable in any proceedings under any of those Parts.

A public agency may not make a report under section 22(1) or (3), but a public agency may —(a)on behalf of a person —(i)make a report under Part 4; or(ii)make an application for reconsideration or appeal under Part 7; or(b)assist a person to —(i)make a report under Part 4; or(ii)make an application for reconsideration or appeal under Part 7.

A public agency must not be given a direction or an order under Part 5 or a direction under Part 7.

A public agency may not commence any claim in civil proceedings under Part 10, 11 or 12, and shall not be liable in any proceedings under any of those Parts.