Singapore studies AI and gaming safeguards amid child safety and abuse concerns

SINGAPORE:  Local authorities are studying whether new safeguards are needed to curb online harms perpetuated by artificial intelligence chatbots and online games, amid growing concerns about risks faced by children.

Speaking during the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry of Digital Development and Information on 2 March 2026, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam said emerging technologies continue to pose fresh challenges to online safety.

She acknowledged concerns raised in Parliament over the misuse of AI chatbots, including the generation of explicit and violent material.

“We will continue to study whether safeguards for AI chatbots are needed to better protect users from the harms caused by their misuse,” said Rahayu.

Concerns over AI chatbot Grok

Workers’ Party MP He Ting Ru questioned the Government’s handling of AI-generated intimate images on social media platform X, following controversy surrounding billionaire Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok.

The chatbot, accessible on X, came under fire in January after it reportedly acceded to user requests to produce non-consensual, sexually explicit and violent content, often depicting women and children.

Ms He asked whether the Infocomm Media Development Authority had taken punitive action and called for stronger education on AI misuse.

The authority had earlier said it was in talks with X and that Grok had stopped producing such content.

Ms He also urged clearer regulation of addictive social media design that may harm children and called for a review of TikTok’s compliance with local rules.

Safeguards beyond social media

Rahayu said the Government recognises that online harms extend beyond app stores and social media services.

“Some parents have expressed concerns about harms that online video games bring, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying and screen addiction,” she said.

“We recognise these concerns, and are studying whether safeguards on online video games are needed.”

Steam, a major PC gaming distribution platform, is not regulated under Singapore’s forthcoming Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services.

The platform has faced criticism for its age verification process, which requires users only to declare a birth date before downloading mature-rated games.

Under the new Code, major app stores operated by Google, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Huawei must ban underage users from downloading age-inappropriate apps from 1 April 2026.

Online Safety Commission to launch

By June 2026, a new Online Safety Commission will begin operations to support victims of online harms such as harassment, intimate image abuse, doxxing and deepfakes.

The agency will have powers to issue directions to disable users’ access to harmful content or restrict perpetrators’ online accounts.

Rahayu said online safety reports submitted in 2025 by designated social media services and app stores are being assessed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority.

These reports will be published alongside the authority’s overall report once ready.

Debate over addictive design

Ms He also raised concerns about social media design features such as infinite scroll, autoplay videos and algorithm-driven feeds that maximise engagement and erode children’s self-regulation.

“A child doomscrolling past bedtime is not making a choice – they are responding to a system designed to make stopping almost impossible,” she said.

Citing a February report by the European Commission, she noted that TikTok’s addictive design had been found to constitute a legal violation.

“Silence from Singapore adds a reputational risk,” she added. “The question is therefore whether we should allow platforms to deploy attention-capture dark patterns against children, without legal consequences.”

Ms He suggested the formation of a select committee to examine global efforts to protect children from social media harms.

International context and future measures

Across the world, some countries have imposed restrictions on minors’ access to social media platforms.

In Australia, under-16s have been banned from downloading TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

Rahayu said Singapore intends to take a measured approach.

“Singapore also wants to strengthen protection for our children online, and we want to do it right and take a holistic approach,” she said.

As the ministry studies the impact of social media bans, it plans to extend age assurance requirements to designated social media services.

Consultations with services including Facebook, HardwareZone, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube are ongoing, with further details expected later in 2026.