Singapore: Signed Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill including content moderation requirements

On 24 November 2022, the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, including content moderation requirements, was signed into law by the President of Singapore. The Bill will be implemented on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette. The Bill specifies that online communication services providers, defined as entities enabling users to access or communicate through an online platform or provide their own content, will be required to comply with the Code of Practice developed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). Furthermore, the Bill notes that the online communication services providers will have to remove content classified as "egregious content", which includes posts that call for violence, self-harm, terrorism or content that would endanger public health or lead to "racial and religious disharmony". Finally, the providers will be required to comply with blocking and take-down requirements issued by the IMDA.