A new front for litigation: Singapore’s online harms regime takes effect
Singapore’s online harms regime is now live. Victims have a regulator to turn to - and, for the first time, a statutory right to sue.
On 29 June 2026, the Online Safety Commission (OSC) commenced operations and specified statutory tort provisions under the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025 took effect. This marks a significant milestone in Singapore’s approach to online harm.
In its first phase, the OSC will handle five categories of harm: online harassment, doxxing, online stalking, intimate image abuse, and image-based child abuse. Victims also now have statutory causes of action against communicators, administrators, and platforms that fail to act reasonably on an online harm notice.
Early cases are likely to test what counts as acting reasonably on an online harm notice. Individuals, group administrators and platforms should review now how such notices are received, escalated and documented — rather than after a claim is filed.
Counsel Daniel Ho moderated a panel discussion on the implications of the Act at “New Frontiers for Online Safety”, a webinar organised by the Public and International Law Committee of the Law Society of Singapore. Associate Director Basil Lee joined as a panellist, alongside Professor Chen Siyuan and Professor Lee Pey Woan of the Singapore Management University, and Mr Michael Palmer of Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Basil Lee at basil.lee@helmsmanlaw.com
Daniel Ho at daniel.ho@helmsmanlaw.com
For media enquiries:
Marisa Tse at marisa.tse@helmsmanlaw.com
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