Singapore may require social media firms to set daily time limits for teens
Singapore plans to introduce legislation early next year requiring social media platforms to roll out stronger safeguards for teens, including possibly setting a daily time limit, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo has said. If a platform could not or did not want to introduce these stronger safeguards, Singapore intended to raise the minimum age of access to that…
Singapore is considering legislation that would require social media firms to introduce stronger safeguards for teenagers, potentially including daily time limits on usage. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo stated that if platforms refuse to implement these measures, the minimum age for access to these platforms could be raised to 18.
The government's concerns include issues such as "stranger danger," direct messages from unknown individuals, algorithmic feeds, autoplay, and infinite scroll. Singapore already has a code of practice covering six social media services, and Teo noted that Meta Platforms' US settlement, which includes measures like allowing parents to turn off autoplay, would apply to users up to age 18, in line with Singapore's approach.
However, Teo emphasized that the daily time limit is not a "magic number" and should serve as a reminder to balance social media use with other aspects of life.
Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
