Regulate Harmful Social Media Features, Don’t Ban Them, Urge Experts

Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) expert panel is formally discouraging an age-based blanket ban on social media access for minors, warning in a July 30 report that such restrictions risk being counterproductive when young people circumvent the rules. Rather than deferring social media use entirely—an approach taken by jurisdictions in Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Indonesia—the eight-member panel recommends a calibrated strategy focused on making platforms safer by design to protect those under 18.

Expert Panel Composition and Findings

Formed last September to examine the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, the panel includes representatives from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University, MOH, TOUCH Community Services, and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The group is co-chaired by Lim Choon Guan, chief and senior consultant of IMH’s department of developmental psychiatry, and Jungup Lee, co-director of NUS’ Social Service Research Centre. According to their 20-page report, blanket restrictions fail to distinguish between harmful and beneficial online uses. Instead, the panel highlights specific platform features that heighten safety risks, prolong usage, and worsen mental well-being during adolescence.

Problematic Features and Adolescent Vulnerability

The panel’s report points to direct messaging functions as a primary driver of cyberbullying and harassment, a risk amplified by anonymous or pseudonymous accounts. Additional concerns center on infinite scroll, autoplay mechanisms, and algorithmically curated feeds, which encourage prolonged engagement and expose users to distressing content. These digital habits frequently displace essential physical activity and in-person interactions. Furthermore, social feedback metrics like visible “like” counts trigger social comparison and validation-seeking behaviors. MOH noted in a July 30 media statement that because mental health conditions often emerge during adolescence, these negative impacts can carry lasting consequences for developing youth.

Calibrated Solutions and Age Assurance Measures

Aligning with statements from Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, the panel favors targeted platform adjustments. Co-chair Jungup Lee suggested disabling private messages between young users and unknown adults, and turning off autoplay by default. Additionally, the panel distinguished between excessive usage—defined as spending three to six hours daily online—and true addiction, noting that problematic relationships with technology correlate more strongly with poor well-being. To enforce these safeguards, the report stresses the necessity of robust age assurance measures. Since April, app stores in Singapore have utilized facial scans and government identity verification for users under 18 under Infocomm Media Development Authority rules, with plans to extend these requirements to major social media services.

Public Response and Whole-of-Society Approach

Lavina Daryanani, a 56-year-old parent and mentor at Temasek Secondary School, emphasized that education and boundary-setting must start early alongside parental role-modeling. Meanwhile, Secondary 4 student Stefan Teo, who spends three to four hours daily online, supports stricter age assurance to curb anonymous harassment and scams. Ultimately, the panel’s report asserts that protecting youth requires a whole-of-society response involving families, schools, healthcare providers, community partners, platform operators, and the government.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the expert panel discouraging an age-based blanket ban?
The panel cited the risk of such bans being counterproductive when young people circumvent the restrictions, as well as the failure of blanket bans to distinguish between harmful and beneficial uses of social media.

Which countries have implemented age minimums for social media access?
Jurisdictions in Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Indonesia have raised the minimum age for young people to access social media.

What is the difference between excessive and problematic social media use?
According to co-chair Lim Choon Guan, spending three to six hours daily online is considered excessive, whereas addiction is categorized as problematic use, which is more consistently associated with poorer well-being.

How should families and communities balance digital engagement with adolescent development moving forward?