Singapore to tighten social media age checks, may raise minimum age beyond 13

Singapore will require social media platforms to strengthen age checks and introduce greater safeguards for young users, with the government prepared to raise the minimum age for individual platforms if protections are deemed inadequate.

Speaking at the National Day Rally on Sunday (23 August), prime minister Lawrence Wong said platforms will be required to introduce “robust and reliable” age checks to ensure their minimum-age requirements are properly enforced.

Most social media platforms currently set a minimum age of 13, but enforcement is largely left to the platforms, many of which rely on users to self-declare their age. Wong said that such an approach is "not working well", adding that he has been struck by the number of children already active on social media during visits to primary schools.

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Under the planned approach, platforms will have to strengthen how they verify users’ ages rather than relying solely on self-declaration. In addition, the government is also looking at how platforms are designed for teenagers aged 13 and above, particularly features that encourage users to endlessly scroll, click and return to platforms.

While such mechanics can be difficult for adults to resist, Wong said the risks are greater for teenagers, whose brains are still developing and who are more susceptible to social pressures and features designed to keep users engaged.

As part of the new measures, social media platforms serving young users in Singapore will be required to introduce stronger safeguards. Wong did not specify what those safeguards would entail but warned that platforms could face further restrictions if their protections fall short.

“If its safeguards remain inadequate, we will consider additional restrictions – including raising the minimum age for access to that platform beyond 13,” he said. 

The move comes as Singapore grapples with the impact of social media use among young people. According to the prime minister, one in six young people aged 10 to 24 in Singapore shows signs of problematic social media use.

For some, he said the problem can be severe, with young people spending six or seven hours a day on social media, sometimes into the early hours of the morning.

Wong acknowledged that social media has created new opportunities and helped connect families and friends, but said Singapore’s experience shows why the risks associated with new technologies need to be anticipated rather than addressed only after problems emerge.

The latest measures form part of Singapore’s broader approach to technological change, which Wong said should involve embracing opportunities while managing disruption and introducing safeguards where there are risks to people and society.

“We will seize the opportunities. We will manage the disruption. And where there are real risks to our people and society, we will put safeguards in place,” he said.

The announcement also builds on Singapore’s wider push to strengthen protections across online platforms.

Last week, the Singapore Police Force issued three Codes of Practice under the Online Criminal Harms Act, tightening protections against scams across social media, messaging and eCommerce platforms.

The rules cover services including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and Telegram, and require designated platforms to proactively disrupt scams and malicious cyber activity. Measures include stronger advertiser verification, preventing suspected scam advertisements and greater protections against unsolicited messages and calls.

Photo credits to Prime Minister's Officer, Singapore on YouTube. 

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