Singapore considers banning social media for children under 13 in online safety push

SINGAPORE: The use of social media can truly have its disadvantages when not properly guided, especially with the growth of the younger generation. With this in mind, Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) recently launched a public consultation on age management for social media.

This proposal is divided into two layers: (1) children under the age of 13 will be prohibited from using mainstream social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, and (2) teenagers aged 13 to 17 might be restricted in their daily usage time. Furthermore, the infinite scrolling function will also be disabled, and they will be prohibited from receiving private messages from strangers. 

This plan aims to adopt a tiered management approach so that using these platforms can entail responsibility. With this, the authorities also require social media platforms to implement effective age verification systems to prevent children from using fake birthdays. 

If Singapore is for digitalisation, why regulate social media use? 

This public consultation is just a reflection of how many countries and regions around the world have been improving their legislation to protect minors online. 

In Singapore, the younger generation usually starts owning a mobile phone in fourth or fifth grade, and parents can’t simply control their use. However, another driving force for this public consultation is the increasing mental health concerns of teenagers. 

With this, the government believes it is the right thing to do to use legislation for platforms to have efficient age verification processes to protect minors and also lessen the pressure on parents.

What will happen next? 

After gathering opinions from relevant parties, the government will draft specific legislation, with further announcements expected in the second half of this year.

It is expected that the legislation not only involves social media platforms but may also affect social features in gaming platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite, live streaming platforms, and video websites with public commenting capabilities.

Once the law takes effect, platforms that violate the regulations will face fines and/or other penalties. Parents are also encouraged to cooperate with platforms in completing the guardianship authorisation process for their children’s social media accounts.

Overall, having stronger rules and regulations will change how young people use the internet, in hopes of keeping them safe while still letting them learn and connect online.