More ways proposed for victims of online harms to seek redress

Suggestions include being able to submit complaints to new agency for timely help

- Zhaki Abdullah

Victims of online harms such as cyber bullying and sexual harassment could soon have access to a broad suite of measures to seek redress.

They will be able to submit complaints about such harms to a new agency dedicated to enhancing online safety and supporting victims of online harms, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said on Nov 22.

Directions can be issued to people who post such content online, in addition to online platforms such as TikTok or X, as well as the administrators of online locations such as Facebook groups or Telegram channels, where such material is made available.

The agency can instruct these parties to disable access to harmful content or, in cases of false statements or statements affecting the reputation of victims, grant complainants the right of reply to defend themselves against such statements.

This comes after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in October that a new government agency would be established to provide victims of online harms with more timely and effective relief.

These proposals form part of the Government's commitment to tackling online harms and will enable victims to remedy damage suffered, said the two ministries.

They will also help shape the norms of acceptable online conduct and improve accountability among members of the online ecosystem, and complement the existing regulatory framework and the criminal justice system, the ministries said in a statement.

The idea is to introduce a complaints mechanism, administered by the new agency to provide timely help to victims of online harms.