Written Answer · 2026-07-07 · Parliament 15
Implementation of Stay-down Measures for Non-consensual Intimate Images and Sexualised Deepfakes under the Online Safety Commission
Rachel Ong filed a written question to the Ministry of Digital Development and Information: (a) whether platforms directed by the Online Safety Commission (OSC) to remove verified non-consensual intimate images, including sexualised deepfakes, will also be required to implement stay-down measures such as hash-matching to prevent re-uploads or redistribution; and (b) what powers OSC has to prevent such content from remaining accessible globally, since access-disabling directions only pertain to Singapore end-users. Minister Josephine Teo replied that, on a valid report, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered to direct Online Service Providers (OSPs) to disable Singapore users' access to the specified harmful material, and the direction may be extended to identical copies on the platform. The Commissioner will not mandate specific technologies as long as the required outcome is achieved; non-compliance is an offence. Directions bind only access by Singapore users, but OSPs may remove access for others under their own policies and community guidelines.
Key Points
- • The Commissioner can direct platforms to disable Singapore users' access to specified harmful content, extendable to identical copies on the platform
- • No specific technology (e.g. hash-matching) is mandated as long as the outcome is achieved; non-compliance is an offence
- • Directions bind only Singapore-user access; global takedown depends on the platform's own policies
The Government governs sexualised deepfakes and similar harms in an outcome-focused, technology-neutral way: it gives the Commissioner power to direct platforms to disable access and cover identical copies, without locking in a specific technology; and while acknowledging the jurisdictional limit that directions reach only local users, it leaves global takedown to platform self-governance.
Singapore's governance of deepfakes and intimate-image abuse has moved from "can it be taken down?" to the operational detail of "how do we prevent re-uploads?", while deliberately not hard-coding stay-down technology as a mandatory duty — keeping the flexibility of "any means that achieves the disabling outcome." Cross-border accessibility remains a structural gap that unilateral enforcement cannot fully close.
"The Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered by law to direct Online Service Providers to disable access by Singapore users to the specified harmful online material ... The Commissioner will not direct that specific technologies be used as long as the outcome indicated in the direction is achieved."
Participants (2)
Original Text (English)
SPRS Hansard · Fetched: 2026-07-20
48 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether platforms directed by the Online Safety Commission (OSC) to remove verified non-consensual intimate images, including sexualised deepfakes, will also be required to implement stay-down measures, such as hash-matching, to prevent re-uploads or redistribution by other users; and (b) what powers does OSC have to prevent such content from remaining accessible globally, since access disabling directions only pertain to Singapore end-users.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Upon receiving a valid report of intimate image abuse, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered by law to direct Online Service Providers (OSPs) to disable access by Singapore users to the specified harmful online material. This direction may be extended to cover identical copies found on the platform. The Commissioner will not direct that specific technologies be used as long as the outcome indicated in the direction is achieved; non-compliance with a direction is an offence.
While such directions apply only to access by Singapore users, OSPs are not prevented from removing the content from access by other users. However, this decision will be based on their own policies and community guidelines.