SINGAPORE: In a bid to enhance online safety for children, Singapore will soon require app stores to implement stricter measures to safeguard young users from inappropriate content.
According to a Channel News Asia report, this initiative, announced by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on January 15, forms part of the country’s wider strategy to curb exposure to harmful material on digital platforms. The new “Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services” will come into effect on March 31, 2025, and is set to impact major app stores globally.
Stricter age assurance measures
Under the new code, prominent app stores like the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei App Gallery, Microsoft Store, and Samsung Galaxy Store will be required to implement “system-level measures” to protect children from harmful content. These measures include mandatory age assurance practices, designed to verify a user’s age before they can access certain apps or content.
The code outlines several categories of harmful content, such as sexual and violent material, cyberbullying, self-harm content, and information that endangers public health or promotes crime. Age assurance can be achieved through two primary methods — age estimation, which uses technologies like AI and facial recognition to estimate a user’s age, and age verification, which relies on official identification sources, such as a digital ID or credit card.
IMDA emphasizes that app stores will have the flexibility to choose between age estimation, age verification, or a combination of both methods to ensure age-appropriate content for users.
Global push for child protection
IMDA’s announcement aligns with a growing global effort to protect children from harmful online content. Governments and regulators across the world, including in Australia, the European Union, the UK, and the US, have introduced similar measures aimed at safeguarding minors in digital spaces. IMDA’s move follows previous regulations, such as the amendments to the Broadcasting Act in February 2023, which empowered the government to issue directions to social media platforms to disable access to harmful content in Singapore.
As part of the new code, app stores will also need to ensure robust content moderation systems and offer easy-to-access reporting mechanisms for users to flag inappropriate content. Moreover, they will be required to submit annual reports to IMDA detailing the effectiveness of their safety measures, as well as any actions taken in response to user complaints.
Industry response and government collaboration
The new regulation has already garnered a positive response from some of the major app stores. Google, for example, announced its commitment to implementing age assurance technology on its Play Store in compliance with the new code. Yinghui Tng, head of government and public policy at Google Play, highlighted the company’s ongoing efforts to refine its content policies and safety features, such as parental controls that help parents manage their children’s app downloads.
“We welcome the consultative approach taken by the Singapore government on the code of practice and have been actively engaged in discussions on this matter,” said Tng. Google remains committed to ensuring a safer digital environment for users in Singapore.
As part of its ongoing effort to protect users from online harm, the government also introduced the “Code of Practice for Online Safety” in July 2023. This earlier code already requires designated social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, to take proactive measures against harmful content.
With the increasing use of mobile devices among children, IMDA recognizes the need for heightened vigilance in the app distribution space. As more children turn to their smartphones and tablets for entertainment, the risks of exposure to inappropriate content become more prevalent, making the new regulations a timely and necessary step in fostering a safer online environment for all users in Singapore.