SINGAPORE - A new law to offer timely redress and better protection to victims of online harms has been passed in Parliament on Nov 5, paving the way for the set-up of a one-stop government agency by June 2026 that can direct platforms to take down harmful content.

The Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill was passed after more than eight hours of debate, where 23 MPs spoke intensely on issues ranging from remedies for victims who are minors to the risk of intruding users’ privacy and the risk of government agency’s powers being an overreach.

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said that victims want quick takedowns of online harms.

A 2025 study by the Infocomm Media Development Authority found that platforms take about five days or more to act on valid reports of online harm. “This is highly unsatisfactory for victims,” said Mrs Teo.

Victims also often live in fear as perpetrators are anonymous. Many are also daunted by the existing complex and expensive court processes for seeking remedies.

But a new one-stop agency, the Online Safety Commission (OSC), will act for victims by issuing directions to platforms, administrators of groups or pages, content communicators, internet service providers or app stores to take down harmful content, restrict the perpetrator’s online account or allow the victim to post a reply. 

Singapore is one of few countries worldwide that has an agency dedicated to helping victims of online harms, said Mrs Teo, noting that it drew lessons from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner set up in 2015.

While Singapore learnt important lessons from Australia’s experience, the OSC will deal with a wider set of 13 online harms.

OSC will initially focus on online harassment, doxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse.

It will progressively deal with online impersonation, inauthentic material or deepfake abuse, online instigation of disproportionate harm, incitement o...