The Government will establish a new agency to act on complaints related to online harm. This is part of its efforts to tackle the problem more effectively.
Minister of State for Law Murali Pillai announced this on March 4 in his speech during the debate over the Ministry of Law’s (MinLaw) spending plans for the year ahead.
He said MinLaw will clarify the types of online harms covered under the law, so that victims can hold perpetrators accountable for the harm they suffer. They type of harms will include online harassment, intimate image abuse and child abuse material.
MinLaw and Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) have identified three key areas to address: the need for a simple and fast process to seek redress from such harms; clarity on whether existing laws can be used to address emerging harms, and the lack of accountability due to perpetrators who often remain anonymous.
To address these gaps, both agencies are working on new legislation. The government will set up a new agency to address such complaints. MDDI will share more details soon.
Mr Murali said MinLaw will also introduce mechanisms to deal with people who misuse anonymity to cause online harm. Victims may apply to obtain a perpetrator’s user information to consider legal proceedings. However, there will be safeguards to prevent abuse and counterattacks, he added.
“The government is committed to ensuring that victims have accessible and effective remedies when they suffer online harms.”
Protection orders filed have increased; the government enacted the Protection from Harassment Act to provide victims with legal recourse for harassment
The number of protection order applications made to the Protection from Harassment Court (PHC) has steadily increased since its inception in June 2021.
In 2021, the court received 346 applications. The figure rose to 520 in 2022, followed by 526 in 2023, and 631 in 2024, Mr Murali revealed the statistics in response to a question from Patrick Tay (Pioneer SMC).
The 2,023 applications contained 2,339 complaints, as a single application can contain more than one type of harassment.
Among the complaints received, cyberbullying (760 cases) and doxing (719 cases) were the most prevalent issues addressed by the court.
In a Facebook post, Mr Tay said that with greater awareness and more social media usage and virtual time, the number of online harm cases was expected to rise.
This is why the PAP government took significant steps to address the prevalence of online harms.
Recognising this, the PAP Government enacted the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) in 2014 and reinforced it in 2019 to provide legal recourse for victims of harassment. This includes online harassment. This proactive measure reflects the PAP Government’s foresight in safeguarding Singaporeans from such harms.
“We should try and ensure that our children grow up in a stable and safe environment, free from bullying by peers and discrimination. Our people, women and men alike, should be free from intimidating, hostile, abusive environments, be it at home or in the workplace,” said Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam, when the bill was passed.
“The Bill is about these, trying to create those norms, and putting in place a framework for criminalising conduct which is unacceptable.”
A legal help finder will be integrated into the LawGoWhere website
A legal help finder feature will be integrated into the LawGoWhere portal to help users search for legal information better.
Launched in 2024, LawGoWhere portal allows users to access legal information, services, and awareness resources.
With the enhancement, Mr Murali noted, users can key in their postal code and legal issues to receive legal assistance options such as their nearest legal clinics.
“Even as the use of technology increases, we are mindful of the digital divide… Measures have been taken to ensure that justice remains accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of familiarity with technology,” he added.
Strengthening Singapore’s position as an international legal and IP hub
During his speech, Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong said that MinLaw will strengthen Singapore’s position as an international legal and intellectual property hub to support a dynamic economy.
MinLaw will continue to evolve Singapore’s legal frameworks to attract high-value work here. It will also equip our legal profession with technology and skills to rise to global challenges, he added.
Mr Tong further shared that MinLaw has strengthened legal cooperation with key and emerging markets. It has increased efforts to anchor Singapore’s multilateral dispute resolution institutions, which administer disputes involving sovereign interests. This contributes to upholding the international rule of law and enhances Singapore’s attractiveness as a premier dispute resolution hub.
“We also continue to welcome international law firms and foreign lawyers to anchor their presence here in Singapore… We will remain open to foreign firms and lawyers, while remaining committed to preserving the Singapore core in the legal profession.”
S’pore will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the establishment of its modern legal system next year
Singapore will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the establishment of its modern legal system next year, Mr Tong revealed. A series of events will mark the occasion. More details will be announced in due course.
