Since April 1, Singapore has mandated that designated app stores implement age assurance measures to prevent users under 18 from accessing age-inappropriate applications. Building on this foundation, authorities now plan to extend these requirements to selected social media platforms, aiming to enhance protections for young users.

Under the proposed framework, once a platform identifies a user as underage, their account would automatically enter a standardized high-safety mode. This mode would set accounts to private by default, disable location sharing, and restrict unsolicited messages from unknown contacts. Additionally, stricter controls would target exposure to content related to sexual themes, violence, self-harm, and other material deemed inappropriate for minors.

To prevent circumvention, such as through borrowed adult credentials, platforms may require additional verification when age-restricted content is accessed on unfamiliar or shared devices. These checks are expected to be risk-based, triggered by specific events, and designed to protect privacy by limiting unnecessary or constant surveillance.

Data minimization principles are central to the approach, with platforms encouraged to collect only the information necessary for age determination. Verification data must not be repurposed for advertising, profiling, or other commercial activities unrelated to safety. Transparency features, like simple dashboards, could help users monitor active safeguards and receive notifications when key settings are changed or when logins occur from unrecognized devices. The goal is to streamline user experience, so parents and guardians do not face complex menus or inconsistent terminology across different services.

While digital literacy continues to be important, the plan emphasizes that children should not bear sole responsibility for their online safety. The intention is not to restrict young people’s access to digital environments but to foster safer participation through more effective, standardized protections.