The annual report has conducted a thorough evaluation of six prominent social media platforms—Facebook, HardwareZone, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube—to assess how effectively they adhere to the Code of Practice for Online Safety.
A key concern raised in the report is child safety, highlighting that minors can still access content deemed inappropriate for their age on several of these platforms.
In response to these findings, Mrs. Teo announced the introduction of age assurance measures aimed at more accurately verifying users’ ages online as part of the enhancements to the online safety regulations.
“It is essential to accurately determine the age of a user so that the necessary protective measures can be effectively applied,” she emphasized.
Furthermore, additional safeguards are being considered, including stricter controls on platform features like direct messaging and autoplay. These elements could potentially expose younger users to harmful interactions or lead to excessive screen time.
Mrs. Teo also indicated that authorities are ready to implement stronger actions should platforms fail to comply with safety standards. “If a particular service, similar to a specific make of a car, poses safety risks, we need to seriously consider removing it from use. This is the approach we are prepared to take,” she said.
She elaborated, stating, “We will examine the design of each service in detail, focusing on integrating child safety features, and from there, we will make a comprehensive assessment. If it becomes necessary to take this vehicle off the road, we may have to.”
Throughout her remarks, Mrs. Teo acknowledged the regulatory challenges, including the issues of users migrating to other platforms and the difficulties involved in enforcing age-based restrictions.
