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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.

Act Code
OSRAA2025
Version as at
3 Jul 2026
Enacted by
Parliament
Source
SSO ↗

Sections (111)

Marginal notes shown beside each section number. Select a section to read its full text.

Section 1 — Short title and commencement

(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

Section 2 — Purposes of Act

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

Section 3 — General interpretation

(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;

Section 4 — Application of Act

(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

Section 6 — Authorised officers

(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

Section 7 — Consultation

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.

Section 8 — Advisory guidelines

(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

Section 9 — Online harassment

(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

Section 10 — Doxxing

(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

Section 12 — Online stalking

(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

Section 13 — Intimate image abuse

(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

Section 14 — Image‑based child abuse

(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

Section 15 — Online impersonation

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

Section 16 — Inauthentic material abuse

(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

Section 17 — Publication of false material

(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

Section 18 — Publication of statement harmful to reputation

(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

Section 19 — Online instigation of disproportionate harm

(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

Section 20 — Incitement of enmity

(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

Section 21 — Incitement of violence

(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

Section 22 — Eligibility to make report

(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

Section 23 — Report of online harmful activity

(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

Section 24 — Assessment and investigation of report, etc.

(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

Section 25 — Trivial, frivolous or vexatious reports

(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

Section 26 — Part 5 direction — general

(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

Section 27 — Part 5 direction — relevant factors

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

Section 28 — Part 5 direction — given to whom

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

Section 29 — Stop communication direction — content

(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

Section 31 — Restraining direction — content

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

Section 32 — Access disabling direction — content

(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

Section 36 — Reply notices must be easily perceived

(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

Section 37 — Labelling direction — content

(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

Section 40 — Engagement reduction direction — content

(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

Section 43 — Order following non‑compliance

(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

Section 44 — Access blocking order — content

(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

Section 45 — App removal order — content

(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

Section 48 — Retention of records

(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

Section 49 — Power to require information and documents

(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

Section 51 — Power to examine and secure attendance

(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

Section 54 — Preservation of secrecy

(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

Section 55 — Disclosure of information

(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

Section 61 — Part 5 direction — eligibility to appeal

(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

Section 65 — Powers of Appeal Committees

(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

Section 66 — Allowances

Members of the Appeal Committee may receive such remuneration and allowances as the Minister may determine.

Section 67 — Validity of act or proceeding

(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

Section 68 — Notice to attend court

(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

Section 69 — Offence of providing false information, etc.

(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

Section 71 — Offences of non‑compliance with directions

(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

Section 72 — Offences of non‑compliance with orders

(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

Section 73 — Defences

(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

Section 74 — Offences by corporations

(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

Section 76 — Online harmful activity remedial initiative

(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

Section 77 — Composition of offences

(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

Section 78 — Jurisdiction of courts

(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

Section 79 — Service of documents

(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

Section 80 — Immunity

(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

Section 81 — General exemption for Parts 1 to 9

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

Section 82 — Regulations for Parts 1 to 9

(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

Section 83 — Tort of intimate image abuse

(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

Section 84 — Tort of image‑based child abuse

(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

Section 85 — Tort of online impersonation

(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

Section 86 — Tort of inauthentic material abuse

(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

Section 88 — Tort of incitement of violence

(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

Section 89 — Application of this Part

(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

Section 93 — Application of this Part

(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

Section 97 — Damages for incitement of violence

(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

Section 98 — Enhanced damages under Part 10 or section 90

(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

Section 101 — Tort treated as taking place in Singapore

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

Section 102 — Limits to exclusion of liability

(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

Section 103 — Regulations for Parts 10 to 14

(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

Section 104 — Rules of Court

(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

Section 105 — Family Justice Rules

(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

Section 106 — Commencement of proceedings in Family Court

(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

Section 107 — Amendment of Defamation Act 1957

(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

Section 108 — Amendment of Private Security Industry Act 2007

(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

Section 110 — Related amendment to Family Justice Act 2014

(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

111 sections
Data from Singapore Statutes Online (sso.agc.gov.sg). Not affiliated with any government agency.

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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