NDR 2026: Govt prepared to raise minimum age beyond 13 for social media platforms with weak safeguards
Social media firms will also be required to put in place reliable methods to check a user’s age.
Singapore's government is prepared to raise the minimum age requirement for social media platforms with weak safeguards, according to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's National Day Rally speech on Aug 23. The government aims to make social media safer by design, focusing on cracking down on features that keep users engaged for extended periods.
Wong emphasized that social media poses greater risks to teenagers due to the developing nature of their brains and susceptibility to social pressures. A 2023 study by the National Council of Social Service found that one in six young people aged 10 to 24 in Singapore exhibit signs of problematic social media use. To enforce minimum age requirements, social media firms must implement robust and reliable methods to check users' ages, as current self-declaration is insufficient, Wong stated.
The government recognizes that children at different stages of development require varying levels of protection while acknowledging the crucial role parents play in fostering healthy digital habits. The measures are based on a report by an expert panel formed by the Ministry of Health, which recommended addressing features like infinite scroll, autoplay functions, algorithmically curated feeds, and visible "like" counts that could exacerbate mental health concerns.
Although a blanket age-based ban has been proposed in other countries, Singapore's approach to technological change remains consistent across various sectors, aiming to seize opportunities and manage disruptions while putting safeguards in place where necessary.
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