New Online Safety Commission opens its doors to help victims tackle harmful content

Agency has power to force platforms, group administrators to remove content quickly

- Lee Li Ying Correspondent and Sarah Koh

A one-stop agency to help victims of online harms secure swift content takedowns and restrict offender accounts will open its doors on June 29, after it was mooted in 2024.

The Online Safety Commission (OSC) was set up to address victims’ frustrations with slow platform responses, which previously took four days or more, by granting it the legal authority to force platforms and group administrators to remove harmful content quickly.

The establishment of OSC follows the passage of the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act, or OSRA, in Parliament in November 2025.

The 40-strong organisation will start by tackling five of the most prevalent and serious online harms: intimate image abuse, image-based child abuse, doxing, online harassment and online stalking. Eight other types of online harms will be dealt with at a later stage.

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said Singapore is one of a few countries in the world to have a law and an agency dedicated to helping victims of online harm.

“We hope OSRA and OSC will help strengthen norms for positive and responsible online behaviour, so that all Singaporeans can participate safely and confidently in our digital society,” said Teo.

Minister for Law Edwin Tong said online harms have real-world consequences. “By giving victims better avenues to seek relief and accountability, we can build a safer online space for Singaporeans,” he added.

Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam noted that none of the work would have been possible without the contributions of survivors who bravely shared their experiences and community partners who worked alongside the Government.

Singapore’s Commissioner of Online Safety, Francis Ng, said OSC’s work is guided by a belief that victims deserve not just relief, but also hope that the harm they have suffered can be stopped and their sense of dignity and safety restored.