Around 200 cases of online harm have been reported to the Online Safety Commission in Singapore since it began operations about a month ago, according to Minister for Law Edwin Tong. Speaking at the open house of the SHECARES support centre on July 24, Tong stated that the commission has actively assisted survivors—including children—by securing timely relief and preventing harmful content from spreading further across digital platforms.
The Online Safety Commission was established as a one-stop agency with legal authority to compel online platforms and group administrators to remove harmful content quickly. This structure directly addresses public frustrations regarding slow response times from online platforms. Among the early cases handled by the commission were two children whose phone numbers and photos were posted online in a doxing incident. Families turned to the agency for assistance, prompting the commission to work directly with the platform to remove the harmful posts and suspend the offending accounts. In another reported instance, an intimate recording of a survivor was uploaded to a pornographic website without consent. The commission issued a formal takedown direction, leading the website to comply and remove the video entirely.
Did You Know? A survey conducted by SG Her Empowerment in April, involving 1,048 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 15 and above, found that nearly four in 10 people in Singapore have personally experienced at least one instance of online harm in their lifetime.
Support Services and Survivor Demographics
The SHECARES support centre, operated by the independent non-profit SG Her Empowerment, provides free counselling, assistance in filing reports, and legal advice in partnership with lawyers from Pro Bono SG. The centre’s open house features interactive exhibits, including a telephone booth where members of the public can record short video messages with words of encouragement for online harm survivors. Data from the non-profit’s April survey revealed that a quarter of respondents experienced online harm in the past year alone. Furthermore, four in 10 survivors reported suffering severe consequences, such as mental health challenges, physical health problems, or financial losses.
The survey also highlighted distinct differences in how men and women experience digital abuse. Overall, 43 per cent of male respondents reported experiencing instances of online harm compared to 32 per cent of female respondents. However, among youth aged between 15 and 34, females were more likely to face online sexual harassment, while males were more likely to face cancel campaigns and inauthentic intimate image abuse, such as sexual deepfakes.
Expert Insight: While legal mandates and statutory bodies like the Online Safety Commission provide essential enforcement teeth against non-compliant platforms, Edwin Tong emphasized that laws and regulations alone cannot be enough. Addressing digital abuse requires tackling the underlying cultural norms and gender beliefs that frequently manifest as online harassment.
Broader Implications and Public Safety Perceptions
Preliminary findings from another study released by SG Her Empowerment on July 23 indicated that younger men are more likely to accept spousal violence in a marriage. Minister Edwin Tong noted that online harms do not arise in a vacuum, often stemming from normalized values and beliefs that find expression through harassment. Strengthening online safety requires challenging harmful gender stereotypes and reinforcing respectful engagement norms, according to Tong.
Public trust in digital spaces remains fragile. While nearly four in 10 respondents felt safe using social media and digital services, a slightly larger proportion remained neutral, and nearly two in 10 stated they did not feel safe. SG Her Empowerment chairperson Stefanie Yuen Thio pointed out that growing numbers of individuals choose self-censorship, silence, and disengagement over digital participation out of fear. This dynamic results in online conversations becoming less representative, less diverse, and less honest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Online Safety Commission?
The Online Safety Commission is a regulatory agency with legal authority to force online platforms and group administrators to quickly remove harmful content and address slow response times.
What kind of help does the SHECARES centre offer?
The support centre provides free counselling, assistance in filing reports, and legal advice through a partnership with lawyers from Pro Bono SG.
What did surveys reveal about online harm experiences in Singapore?
Surveys found that nearly four in 10 people in Singapore have experienced online harm in their lifetime, with 43 per cent of male respondents and 32 per cent of female respondents reporting incidents.
How do digital safety concerns impact your willingness to participate in online communities and public conversations?
Keep reading