Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act
In force Singapore · In force Jun 29, 2026 · no upcoming deadlines
Deadlines
| Date | What happens | When |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 20262 months ago | OSC begins operations and first provisions commence | 3 months ago |
| Nov 25, 202510 months ago | Act assented to | 10 months ago |
Summaries for reference, not legal advice. Check the official text.
What it does
Creates a Commissioner of Online Safety, supported by the Online Safety Commission (OSC), who can direct platforms, posters and group administrators to stop or limit specified online harms. The first phase covers online harassment, doxxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse; eight further harm categories, including inauthentic material abuse, will be brought in later. The Act also creates statutory torts so victims can sue communicators, administrators and prescribed platforms in court.
- Who it applies to
- Online service providers, including prescribed platforms with significant reach in Singapore, group and page administrators, and people who post harmful material about Singapore citizens and residents.
- Penalties
- Failure to comply with OSC directions can lead to orders such as access blocking. For intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse, courts must award at least SGD 5,000 per image or recording when a statutory tort claim succeeds. Criminal fine amounts are not captured here.
- Enforced by
- Commissioner of Online Safety and the Online Safety Commission (under MDDI); courts for statutory torts; Online Safety Appeal Panel for appeals
- Official name
- Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025
- Citation
- Act No. 23 of 2025
- Topics
- online-safety, children, privacy
Research notes
Passed 2025-11-05; published in the Acts Supplement on 2025-12-12. SSO blocks automated fetch but loads in a browser. MDDI said on 2026-09-10 that the commencement date for inauthentic material abuse (including AI deepfakes) will be announced later. Victims must report harassment and stalking to the platform first and may go to the OSC if there is no adequate response within 24 hours.
Related
Questions about Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act
- What are the Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act compliance deadlines?
- Nov 25, 2025: Act assented to. Jun 29, 2026: OSC begins operations and first provisions commence.
- When does Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act take effect?
- Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act took effect on Jun 29, 2026.
- Who does Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act apply to?
- Online service providers, including prescribed platforms with significant reach in Singapore, group and page administrators, and people who post harmful material about Singapore citizens and residents.
- What are the penalties under Singapore Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act?
- Failure to comply with OSC directions can lead to orders such as access blocking. For intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse, courts must award at least SGD 5,000 per image or recording when a statutory tort claim succeeds. Criminal fine amounts are not captured here.