X, TikTok under watch as SG joins global push to protect young social media users

X and TikTok have been placed under enhanced supervision by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) following "serious weaknesses" in their measures to detect and remove harmful content, including child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) and terrorism-related content.

According to IMDA, it found a 120% increase in CSEM cases on X targeting Singapore users, rising from 33 in 2024 to 73 in 2025. On TikTok, 17 cases of terrorism content were detected from Singapore-based accounts for the first time in 2025.

Both platforms removed the content only after IMDA flagged it, highlighting gaps in their proactive detection systems despite existing policies, said the authority. 

Don't miss: Meta and YouTube lose key battle in social media addiction trial 

Under enhanced supervision, X and TikTok are required to regularly report progress on rectification measures and submit supporting data in their next annual online safety report by 30 June 2026. IMDA said failure to satisfy the regulator could trigger further regulatory action under the Broadcasting Act. Both platforms have committed to improving automated detection through AI and additional signals.

The findings form part of IMDA’s second Online Safety Assessment Report 2025, which evaluates the effectiveness of online safety measures across designated social media services (DSMSs). While some improvements were noted, IMDA highlighted ongoing weaknesses in child safety measures, user reporting mechanisms, and data accountability.

Facebook, YouTube, and HardwareZone were among platforms flagged for gaps in child protection, while Instagram and TikTok reportedly maintain the most comprehensive measures.

IMDA also found that most DSMSs improved their response rates to legitimate user reports in 2025, except TikTok, whose action rate fell from 39% to 25%. Timeliness of responses improved across the board.

This comes as Singapore authorities explore new restrictions on social media features such as direct messaging and video auto-play to strengthen protections for children and teens, reported The Straits Times.

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo reportedly said that the government is engaging with major social media platforms to implement tailored safety enhancements. She also noted that parents have raised concerns over the difficulty of monitoring interactions in private messaging channels, likening the online risks to strangers approaching children in the physical world. To ensure that measures are effective and practical, authorities plan to consult both parents and youth before introducing any formal restrictions.

The consideration of such measures aligns with global trends, as several countries including Australia have already restricted social media use for children under 16 and tightened regulations on addictive features such as infinite scroll and auto-play.

Just last week, Meta and YouTube, owned by Google, have also been found liable in a landmark social media addiction trial in the US. A Los Angeles jury handed a win to a young woman who sued the two companies over her childhood addiction to social media.

Be part of #Content360 Singapore, 22–23 April 2026, where creativity and culture collide. Explore how AI-driven storytelling is shaping the future of content, gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the best in Asia are creating campaigns that truly resonate. 

Related articles:   
Three months in, Australians say social media ban is working - but only just   
Indonesia may ban Grok AI and X amid nonconsensual deepfake surge 
How agencies in M'sia are preparing for the under-16 social media ban