Singapore: Implemented POFMA Code of Practice for Preventing and Countering Abuse of Online Accounts

On 2 October 2019, the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office’s Code of Practice for Preventing and Countering the Abuse of Online Accounts entered into force. The code outlines the obligations of prescribed internet intermediaries and requires them to implement due diligence measures to safeguard against the misuse of online accounts.These measures include having policies that prohibit misrepresentation of identity and impermissible use of bots, verifying the authenticity of accounts, conducting additional verification for suspicious activities, and promoting strong login verification requirements. Intermediaries must offer “verified” account options with stronger verification measures and inform end-users about these verified accounts. During election periods, intermediaries must verify accounts of political parties and candidates. They must also require disclosure of bot usage in communications, have mechanisms for reporting compromised or impersonating accounts, and act promptly on these reports. Additionally, intermediaries must detect and report inauthentic accounts or bots engaging in malicious activities, maintain systems to detect such accounts, and have fast-track reporting channels for government reports. In major events or emergencies, stricter response timeframes may be imposed. Intermediaries must provide annual reports to the POFMA Office detailing their measures, challenges, and improvements in preventing and countering online account abuse.