New Singapore government agency to tackle online harms such as cyberbullying, sharing of intimate images

SINGAPORE: A new Singapore government agency will help victims quickly put a stop to online harms instead of solely depending on the usual court-based process.
Victims of such acts – which include cyberbullying and non-consensual sharing of intimate images – will be able to apply to the agency to seek redress.
It will then act on their behalf to order perpetrators and online service providers, such as social media platforms, to stop the online harm.
In a speech at the Punggol Digital District on Tuesday (Oct 1) to launch the Smart Nation 2.0 initiative, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that the goal is to support victims with “more timely and effective relief”.
“All victims of online harm want the damaging content online to be removed quickly and permanently. Currently, victims can apply to court for a protection order, or make a police report. But legal and criminal proceedings can take time,” he added.
“Another way is to turn to online service providers for help. But not many will know how to do so. And we’ve also heard feedback that even if you do, the companies may take a while to respond, and sometimes do not even act on these requests.”
As such, victims must be able to turn to a “trusted source of support, who can act on their behalf to direct perpetrators and service providers to put a stop to the harms,” the prime minister added.
The move is part of several initiatives under the refreshed Smart Nation 2.0 strategy, which include a S$120 million (US$92 million) investment in artificial intelligence to aid in scientific research and a fellowship for educators in developing digital proficiency. 
Smart Nation was first launched in 2014 under then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and has served to improve the lives of Singapore residents through technology, said the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI). 
New, technology-driven challenges have since emerged, posing threats to social cohesion, livelihoods, safety and well-being, the ministry added.
The new outfit to combat online harms will be introduced by MDDI in collaboration with the Ministry of Law. 
Last year, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam called for more laws to empower victims of harmful online content to take action and protect themselves. 
“Societies all around the world, including us, are behind the curve in dealing with this effectively,” he said then. 
An MDDI survey this year showed a rise in harmful social media content. It found that among those who reported harmful content on social media, eight in 10 experienced issues with the reporting process.
“Time is of the essence as online harm can easily go viral, amplifying the effect on victims,” said the ministry.
It added that it will focus on the “most serious and prevalent online harms” affecting victims in Singapore.
The new agency will share similarities with Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, which investigates cyberbullying of children, adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse such as non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and the propagation of illegal and restricted content. 
Victims of online harms in Australia can submit a report to the Commissioner, who will then act if it meets the threshold for action, similar to how the new Singapore agency will operate. 
In tandem with this new agency, MDDI also intends to introduce new legislation to allow victims of online harms to seek civil remedies from their perpetrators.
More details will be shared in the coming months, said the ministry. 
Other initiatives launched on Tuesday include a S$120 million investment in AI to aid scientific research. 
This also supports Singapore’s refreshed National AI Strategy (NAIS 2.0), which was launched in December last year by Mr Wong. 
Led by the National Research Foundation, the investment will focus on the development and adoption of AI methods and tools that can advance scientific discovery.
It will also fund collaborations between AI researchers and experts in areas such as advanced materials research and biomedical and health sciences.
To better train teachers to hone students’ digital proficiency, a Smart Nation Educator Fellowship will also be launched next year in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. 
Through the six-month programme, participants will gain insights on emerging technological trends through panel discussions and hands-on workshops among other activities. 
“The programme will allow participants to translate the knowledge and skills they acquire into curriculum design or effective teaching and learning strategies that support students’ development of digital skills,” said MDDI.
From 2025, students will also get to explore and tinker with new technology through AI for Fun modules under the existing Code for Fun programme that’s mandatory for primary schools and optional at the secondary level.
Elsewhere, a new law to improve the security of “systematically important digital infrastructure” in Singapore is also in the works. 
The Digital Infrastructure Act will be introduced next year to “improve the resilience and security of key digital infrastructure and services”, said MDDI. 
The proposed law will go beyond cybersecurity risks to address a broader set of resilience and security risks. 
These range from technical misconfigurations to physical hazards such as fires and cooling system failures, said the ministry.