(1) This Act is the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.(2) A notification made under this section may specify that different provis
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Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025
An Act to provide persons affected by online harmful activity with timely redress through the office of the Commissioner of Online Safety and rights of action in court proceedings, to improve and promote online safety, to deter and prevent online harmful activity, to promote accountability and responsible and reasonable conduct in the online environment, to make amendments to certain other Acts for alignment with this Act, and to make related amendments to other Acts.
Sections (111)
Marginal notes shown beside each section number. Select a section to read its full text.
The purposes of this Act are —(a) to provide persons affected by online harmful activity with —(i) timely means of redress; and (ii) statutory rights of action and remedies in court proceedings; (b) to improve and promote online safety for
(1) In this Act —“access”, in relation to any online activity, online material, online location or online service, includes —(a) access that is subject to a precondition, such as the use of a password; (b) access by way of push technology;
(1) A public agency may not make a report under section 22(1) or (3), but a public agency may —(a) on behalf of a person —(i) make a report under Part 4; or (ii) make an application for reconsideration or appeal under Part 7; or (b) assist
(1) The Minister may appoint any person to be the Commissioner of Online Safety who is responsible for the administration of Parts 2 to 9 and to perform the following functions:(a) to provide persons affected by online harmful activity with
(1) The Commissioner may appoint any of the following individuals as an authorised officer:(a) a public officer; (b) any officer or employee of a statutory body; (c) any other individual who has suitable training or expertise to properly ex
For the purposes of performing any of the Commissioner’s duties and functions under this Act, the Commissioner may consult with any person that the Commissioner thinks appropriate.
(1) The Commissioner may issue written advisory guidelines —(a) for the purposes of providing practical guidance or certainty in respect of any one or more requirements imposed under Parts 1 to 9; (b) indicating the manner in which the Comm
(1) In this Act, “online harassment” means the communication of online material that a reasonable person would conclude is —(a) threatening, abusive, insulting, sexual or indecent; and (b) likely to cause a person (called in this section th
(1) In this Act, “doxxing” means the publication of any identity information of a person that a reasonable person would conclude was likely to have been intended to cause harassment, alarm, distress or humiliation to that person or any rela
(1) In this Act, “non‑consensual disclosure of private information” means the publication of any private information of a person (called in this section the victim), where — (a) the publication was done without the victim’s consent; and (b)
(1) In this Act, “online stalking” means a course of online conduct engaged in by one person (called in this section the online stalker) in respect of another person (called in this section the victim) —(a) that involves online acts or omis
(1) In this Act, “intimate image abuse” means the communication of online material —(a) that contains, without a person’s (called in this section the victim) consent —(i) an intimate image or recording of the victim; (ii) an offer to sell o
(1) In this Act, “image‑based child abuse” means the communication of online material that contains any of the following:(a) a child abuse image or recording of a person (called in this section the victim); (b) an offer to sell or distribut
In this Act, “online impersonation” means online activity conducted by one person (called in this section X) in respect of another person (called in this section the victim) which —(a) involves X pretending to be the victim without the vict
(1) In this Act, “inauthentic material abuse” means the communication of inauthentic material of a person (called in this section the victim) that a reasonable person would conclude is likely to cause the victim harassment, alarm, distress
(1) In this Act, “publication of false material” means — (a) the publication of online material that contains or consists of a false statement of fact about a person (called in this section the victim); and (b) that a reasonable person woul
(1) In this Act, “publication of statement harmful to reputation” means the publication of online material that contains or consists of a statement that a reasonable person would conclude is likely to cause to a person (called in this secti
(1) In this Act (other than Part 10), “online instigation of disproportionate harm” means the communication of online material that contains or consists of a statement where the following requirements are met: (a) the statement tends to ins
(1) In this Act, “incitement of enmity” means the communication of online material that a reasonable person would conclude incites, or is likely to incite, feelings of enmity, hatred or hostility against any group in Singapore. (2) Subsecti
(1) In this Act, “incitement of violence” means the communication of online material that a reasonable person would conclude incites or is likely to incite one or more persons to use unlawful force or unlawful violence against any group in
(1) A victim of an alleged online harmful activity (other than incitement of enmity and incitement of violence) who is —(a) a citizen of Singapore; (b) a permanent resident of Singapore; or (c) a person who has a prescribed connection to Si
(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a person eligible to make a report under section 22(1), (2) or (3) may make a report of the alleged online harmful activity to the Commissioner.(2) A person making a report under subsection (1) must c
(1) On receiving a report under section 23(1), the Commissioner must assess the report to determine whether or what further action, including any investigation, is appropriate under this Act.(2) The Commissioner may, subject to any written
(1) The Commissioner may dismiss any report made under this Act, without any assessment, investigation or further action, if the Commissioner is satisfied that the report is trivial, frivolous or vexatious or not made in good faith.(2) The
(1) Subject to subsections (5) and (6), after receiving a report made by or on behalf of a person mentioned in section 22(1) or (3), the Commissioner may give one or more Part 5 directions if the Commissioner has reason to suspect that onli
In deciding whether to give a Part 5 direction, or the type and scope of the direction to be given in each case, the Commissioner may take into account all or any of the following factors:(a) the degree of the harm caused or likely to be ca
The Part 5 directions and the persons to whom they may be given are listed in the following table:Direction Recipient may be 1. Stop communication direction (a) The communicator of the relevant material. (b) An administrator of the relevant
(1) A stop communication direction is a direction requiring the recipient to do one or more of the following, and by the time specified in the direction, such that the relevant material or the relevant location (as the case may be) cannot b
(1) A stop communication (class of material) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to do one or more of the following, and by the time specified in the direction, such that the relevant class of material cannot be accessed by per
A restraining direction is a direction requiring the recipient to refrain, for a specified period or indefinitely, from all or any of the following:(a) where the recipient had communicated the relevant material — communicating any online ma
(1) An access disabling direction is a direction requiring the recipient to disable access by end‑users in Singapore to one or more of the following, and by the time specified in the direction:(a) any relevant material stored, posted, provi
(1) An access disabling (class of material) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to disable access by end‑users in Singapore to any relevant class of material stored, posted, provided or transmitted on or through the relevant se
(1) A right‑of‑reply (user) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to communicate in Singapore a reply notice, in relation to relevant material communicated in Singapore, within a specified time — (a) to any specified person or de
(1) A right‑of‑reply (online service) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to communicate a reply notice, by means of the online service provided by the recipient, to all end‑users in Singapore who access the relevant material p
(1) A person who is required by a right‑of‑reply (online service) direction to communicate a reply notice must ensure that the notice is easily perceived. (2) Subject to subsection (3), a reply notice is easily perceived if — (a) the notice
(1) A labelling direction is a direction requiring the recipient to publish a label —(a) at the relevant location; and (b) in the form and manner specified in the direction, to all persons in Singapore who access the relevant location, for
(1) An account restriction (administrator) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to disallow or restrict, by the specified time, a relevant Singapore account from accessing the relevant location —(a) for a specified period; or (b
(1) An account restriction (online service) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to do one or more of the following by the specified time:(a) disallow or restrict interaction between any relevant account on the relevant service
(1) An engagement reduction direction is a direction requiring the recipient to reduce the engagement of end‑users in Singapore with the relevant class of material that is stored, posted, provided or transmitted on or through the relevant s
(1) A Part 5 direction may be given to a person either individually or as a class.(2) A Part 5 direction is binding on —(a) the recipient; and (b) if applicable, the personal representatives, successors and assignees of the recipient to the
(1) The Commissioner may at any time, on his or her own initiative —(a) cancel a Part 5 direction; (b) vary a Part 5 direction; or (c) substitute a Part 5 direction with a Part 5 direction of a different type. (2) Where a Part 5 direction i
(1) The Commissioner may give an order following non‑compliance if any person has not complied with a requirement of a Part 5 direction, unless the direction is a right‑of‑reply (user) direction or a right‑of‑reply (online service) directio
(1) An access blocking order is an order requiring the provider of an internet access service to disable access by end‑users in Singapore to the relevant location by means of that internet access service, by the time specified in the access
(1) An app removal order is an order requiring the provider of an app distribution service to stop distributing the relevant app to persons in Singapore and stop enabling persons in Singapore to download the relevant app by means of that se
(1) An order following non‑compliance is binding on —(a) the recipient; and (b) if applicable, the personal representatives, successors and assignees of the recipient to the same extent as it applies to that recipient. (2) It is not necessa
(1) The Commissioner may at any time, on his or her own initiative —(a) cancel an order following non‑compliance; (b) vary an order following non‑compliance; or (c) substitute an access blocking order with an app removal order or vice versa
(1) The Commissioner may, by written notice, require an online service provider to retain all relevant records in relation to —(a) any alleged online harmful activity that is the subject of a report made under Part 4; or (b) any end‑user wh
(1) The Commissioner may, by written notice, require any person to provide, in the form and manner and within the time specified in the notice, any information or document (whether the information or document is stored or kept in Singapore
A written notice under section 49 may be given to —(a) any individual whether or not a resident or citizen of Singapore, whether physically present in Singapore or outside Singapore, and whether carrying on a business or operating in Singap
(1) The Commissioner may do all or any of the following for the purposes of investigating any report made under Part 4 or any offence under this Act if the Commissioner reasonably suspects that such an offence has been committed:(a) issue a
(1) Where the Commissioner reasonably suspects that an end‑user has engaged in online harmful activity by means of an online service provided by a prescribed online service provider, the Commissioner may, by written notice, require the pres
(1) The Commissioner may, upon the receipt of an application by a person mentioned in subsection (2) (called in this section the applicant), and despite sections 54 and 55, disclose to the applicant any identity information or contact detai
(1) A specified person who has information in his or her capacity as such that would not otherwise be available to him or her, must not disclose that information to any person except —(a) in the performance of the specified person’s functio
(1) Despite anything in this Act, the Commissioner may disclose to any person, or authorise any specified person to disclose to any person, any information obtained pursuant to an exercise of the Commissioner’s powers and functions under th
The following persons are eligible to apply under section 58(1) to the Commissioner for reconsideration of the Commissioner’s decision to give (or not to give) a Part 5 direction in relation to a report made under section 23(1):(a) the pers
The following persons are eligible to apply under section 58(1) to the Commissioner for reconsideration of the Commissioner’s decision to give an order following non‑compliance:(a) the recipient of the order following non‑compliance; (b) a
(1) Subject to section 25(5), a person who is eligible to apply under section 56 or 57 to the Commissioner for reconsideration of a decision, direction or order made under Part 5 (called in this section and in section 59 the initial decisio
(1) Subject to subsection (6), on receiving an application for reconsideration made under section 58(1), the Commissioner must, within a reasonable time —(a) in all cases — affirm, revoke or vary the initial decision, direction or order as
(1) There is established an Online Safety Appeal Panel.(2) The Minister must appoint the members of the Appeal Panel on the terms and conditions determined by the Minister. (3) The Chairperson of the Appeal Panel must be appointed by the Mi
(1) The following persons are eligible to appeal under section 63(1) to the Chairperson of the Appeal Panel against the Commissioner’s reconsidered decision made under section 59(1) in relation to a report made under section 23(1):(a) the p
The following persons are eligible to appeal under section 63(1) to the Chairperson of the Appeal Panel against the Commissioner’s reconsidered decision made under section 59(1):(a) the recipient of an order following non‑compliance that wa
(1) A person who is dissatisfied with the result of the Commissioner’s reconsidered decision made under section 59(1), and is eligible under section 61 or 62 to appeal against it, may appeal against it.(2) Where on an appeal made under subs
(1) For the purpose of hearing any appeal made under section 63(1) or (2), the Chairperson of the Appeal Panel is to constitute, under section 60(4), an Appeal Committee to determine the appeal, unless the Chairperson of the Appeal Panel de
(1) An Appeal Committee may do all or any of the following:(a) request any person to provide such information or produce such document, record or article in the possession or under the control of that person, as the Appeal Committee conside
Members of the Appeal Committee may receive such remuneration and allowances as the Minister may determine.
(1) No appeal proceeding before an Appeal Committee, and no act of the Chairperson of the Appeal Panel or of any member of an Appeal Committee, is to be nullified only because of —(a) in the case of an appeal or proceeding before or act of
(1) Where the Commissioner has reasonable grounds for believing that a person has committed an offence under this Part, the Commissioner may, in lieu of applying to a court for a summons, serve upon that person a prescribed notice requiring
(1) A person shall be guilty of an offence if —(a) the person provides a document, or makes a statement (whether orally, in writing or any other way) or gives information, to the Commissioner, a Deputy Commissioner or an Assistant Commissio
(1) If the Commissioner is satisfied that the recipient of a Part 5 direction or an order following non‑compliance (called in this section the relevant recipient) fails to comply with the direction or order, the Commissioner may publish a s
(1) A person shall be guilty of an offence if the person —(a) is given any Part 5 direction; and (b) without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any requirement of the Part 5 direction, whether in Singapore or outside Singapore. (2) A p
(1) A person shall be guilty of an offence if the person —(a) is given an access blocking order; and (b) without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any requirement of the access blocking order, whether in Singapore or outside Singapore
(1) It is not a defence to a charge for an offence under section 69, 71 or 72 that —(a) the person is subject to a duty of confidentiality or privacy imposed by any rule of law or a duty imposed by any contract or any rule of professional c
(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of a corporation in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an officer, employee or agent of the corporation engaged in that c
(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of an unincorporated association or a partnership in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an employee or agent of the uninc
(1) In deciding whether to institute proceedings against a person for an offence under this Act relating to any failure to comply with any requirement of a Part 5 direction, the Public Prosecutor may consider any remedial action of the pers
(1) The Commissioner or any other person authorised in writing by the Commissioner, may compound any offence under this Act that is prescribed as a compoundable offence by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed th
(1) Where an offence under this Act is committed by a person outside Singapore, the person may be dealt with in respect of that offence as if it had been committed wholly within Singapore.(2) Despite the Criminal Procedure Code 2010, a Dist
(1) The Minister may make regulations to make provision for —(a) the manner of service of any notice, direction, order or other document permitted or required to be given under this Act to be served on a person or a class of persons (called
(1) No person or officer, employee or agent of the person is to incur any civil or criminal liability under any written law or rule of law, or be liable for any breach of confidence or to any disciplinary action by a professional body, for
The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, exempt any online activity or online harmful activity, or class of online activities or online harmful activities, from all or any provision of Parts 1 to 9, either generally or in a particular cas
(1) The Minister may make regulations for carrying out or giving effect to Parts 1 to 9, and for any matter that is required to be prescribed under those Parts.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the regulations may —(a) provide for anythi
(1) A person (X) must not make any communication that constitutes intimate image abuse.(2) If X contravenes subsection (1), the victim of the intimate image abuse may bring civil proceedings in a court against X. (3) In any proceedings ment
(1) A person (X) must not make any communication that constitutes image‑based child abuse.(2) If X contravenes subsection (1), the victim of the image‑based child abuse, who was below 16 years of age at the time the victim was depicted in t
(1) A person (X) must not conduct any online activity that constitutes online impersonation if the online activity is likely to cause a victim harassment, alarm, distress or humiliation. (2) If X contravenes subsection (1), the victim of th
(1) A person (X) must not make any communication that constitutes inauthentic material abuse by communicating material that X knew or had reasonable grounds to believe was inauthentic material of a victim. (2) If X contravenes subsection (1
(1) A person (X) must not communicate online material that contains or consists of a statement where the following requirements are met: (a) the statement tends to instigate the public or a section of the public to act or omit to act in res
(1) A person (X) must not make any communication that constitutes incitement of violence. (2) If X contravenes subsection (1), a victim of incitement of violence may bring civil proceedings in a court against X. (3) In any proceedings menti
(1) This Part applies only to the following online harmful activities (each called in this Part an applicable online harmful activity), other than an activity the definition of which in Part 3 has not been brought into operation:(a) online
(1) A person must not develop and maintain, or otherwise or administer an online location —(a) in a manner that facilitates or permits any applicable online harmful activity to be conducted at that location; and (b) intending for any applic
(1) A victim of an applicable online harmful activity may send an administrator of an online location a written notice that an applicable online harmful activity in relation to the victim has occurred at that location (called in this sectio
An administrator, X, has a right of action in civil proceedings against Z if Z sent an online harm notice to X under section 91 and the online harm notice —(a) is frivolous; or (b) is false in a material way and which Z knew to be false.
(1) This Part applies only to the following online harmful activities (each called in this Part an applicable online harmful activity), other than an activity the definition of which in Part 3 has not been brought into operation:(a) online
(1) A victim of an applicable online harmful activity may send an online service provider a written notice that an applicable online harmful activity in relation to the victim has occurred by means of the online service (called in this sect
An online service provider, X, has a right of action in civil proceedings against Z if Z sent an online harm notice to X under section 94 and the online harm notice —(a) is frivolous; or (b) is false in a material way and which Z knew to be
(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3), (4) and (5), if any person is found liable in any civil proceedings brought under Part 10, 11 or 12, the court may award any damages that the court may, having regard to all the circumstances of the case
(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), in any civil proceedings brought under Part 10, 11 or 12 in relation to the online harmful activity of incitement of violence, the court may award damages to the members of the group that is the
(1) Subject to subsection (4), in any proceedings brought by a victim of a tort under Part 10, the court may, if it thinks just and equitable in the circumstances to do so, award enhanced damages to the victim where —(a) the victim made a r
(1) Without affecting sections 96, 97 and 98, in any proceedings brought under Part 10, 11 or 12, the court may grant any relief or remedy against the respondent that the court may, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, think
(1) In any proceedings brought under Part 10, 11 or 12 —(a) that relate to online harmful activity involving the communication of online material (called in this section the offending material); and (b) where it is likely that the offending
For the purposes of any proceedings for a tort under Part 10, 11 or 12, that tort is to be treated as having taken place in Singapore if any act or omission or any part of an act or omission that is an element of the tort —(a) was initiated
(1) This Act has effect despite any provision or term to the contrary in any contract, agreement or notice and any provision or term in a contract, agreement or notice is void if and to the extent that —(a) it is inconsistent with Part 11 o
(1) The Minister may make regulations for carrying out or giving effect to Parts 10 to 14, and for any matter that is required or permitted to be prescribed under those Parts.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the regulations may provide
(1) The Rules Committee constituted under section 80(3) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 may make Rules of Court to regulate and prescribe the procedure and practice to be followed in respect of civil proceedings brought under th
(1) The Family Justice Rules Committee constituted under section 46(1) of the Family Justice Act 2014 may make Family Justice Rules to regulate and prescribe the procedure and practice to be followed in the Family Justice Courts in respect
(1) Any Part 10 proceedings may be commenced in the first instance in a Family Court, in which any related family proceedings are pending, with the permission of that court. (2) A court may grant permission under subsection (1) only if it i
(1) In the Defamation Act 1957, after section 18, insert — “Enhanced damages when defendant fails to comply with request to publish reply statement to online defamation 18A.—(1) In any action for defamation in relation to a statement publis
(1) In the Private Security Industry Act 2007, in section 17C — (a) in the section heading, replace “alarm or distress” with “alarm, distress or humiliation”; (b) in subsection (1)(a) and (b), replace “indecent, threatening, abusive or insu
(1) The Protection from Harassment Act 2014 is amended in the manner set out in the Schedule.(2) For a period of 2 years after the date of commencement of any provision of the Schedule, the Minister may, by order in the Gazette, make provis
(1) In the Family Justice Act 2014 — (a) in section 23, replace subsection (2B) with —“(2B) An appeal shall lie to the General Division of the High Court from a decision of a Family Court in —(a) proceedings under Part 3 of the Protection f
(1) In the Info-communications Media Development Authority Act 2016, in section 5(1), after paragraph (e), insert —“(ea) to establish and administer systems in Singapore for the promotion of online safety including but not limited to any sy
Cite this Act
Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025 (Singapore Statutes Online). Retrieved via LawPlayer, https://lawplayer.com/sg/act/OSRAA2025 (accessed 2026-07-03)
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (sso.agc.gov.sg), © Singapore Government
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