Singapore Mandates App Stores to Implement Child Protection Measures
Singapore has taken a significant step towards protecting children from inappropriate online content. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced on Wednesday (Jan 15) that app stores will soon be required to implement specific measures to safeguard users, especially children, from harmful content. This requirement will be enforced through a new code – the Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services – set to take effect on Mar 31.
Age Assurance Measures to Protect Children
Under the new code, major app stores like Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei App Gallery, Microsoft Store, and Samsung Galaxy Store will have to establish “system-level measures” to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content. These measures include age assurance methods to determine a user’s age accurately.
Categories of harmful content identified in the code encompass sexual content, violent content, suicide and self-harm content, cyberbullying content, content endangering public health, and content facilitating vice and organized crime. Recognizing the global trend towards ensuring online services are suitable for children, IMDA highlighted two key age assurance measures: age estimation and age verification.
Age estimation relies on advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and facial age analysis algorithms to predict a user’s likely age or age range. On the other hand, age verification uses verified sources of identification, such as digital IDs or credit cards, to confirm a user’s age. Designated app stores can choose the most appropriate age assurance measure for their services, whether age estimation, age verification, or a combination of both.
Collaborative Efforts and Industry Response
IMDA emphasized that it will engage with designated app stores in the coming months to ensure the effective implementation of age assurance measures. App stores unable to comply with the requirements by Mar 31 must present an implementation plan outlining how they intend to meet the guidelines and a reasonable timeline for implementation, subject to IMDA’s approval.
In response to the new code, Google has expressed its commitment to integrating age assurance technology on its Play Store within the stipulated timeframe. Google Play’s head of government and public policy, Yinghui Tng, highlighted the platform’s strict content policies and parental control features designed to provide a safer online environment for all users in Singapore.
Ensuring User Safety and Compliance
The government’s move to regulate app stores aligns with its broader efforts to shield users from harmful online content. Amendments to the Broadcasting Act introduced in February 2023 empowered the government to direct social media services to restrict access to egregious content for Singapore users. IMDA’s inclusion of app distribution services under regulation underscores the critical role these platforms play in facilitating access to online content and the potential risks associated, particularly for children.
By requiring designated app stores to implement comprehensive measures like age assurance and content moderation, Singapore aims to create a safer digital environment for all users. The annual reports to be submitted to IMDA will track the progress made by app stores in enhancing user safety and responding to reports of harmful content. Through collaborative efforts between regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders, Singapore is forging a path towards a more secure online landscape for its citizens, especially children.