2024年7月2日，新加坡數碼發展及新聞部長楊莉明在國會書面答覆荷蘭-武吉知馬集選區議員謝秉輝、波東巴西單選區議員司徒宇彬有關保護兒童免受潛在的社交媒體成癮和有害內容侵襲的問題。

以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：

謝秉輝（荷蘭-武吉知馬集選區議員）先生詢問通訊及信息部長，是否有計劃對社交媒體平台實施更嚴格的監管，以保護兒童免受潛在成癮和有害內容的侵襲。

楊莉明（數碼發展及新聞部長）女士：我的答覆還將包括司徒宇彬（波東巴西單選區議員）先生在後續會議上提出的類似問題。

新加坡政府堅信，要保護我們的公民，特別是兒童，免受有害的網絡內容和潛在成癮的侵襲。在這方面，監管發揮著重要作用。

針對網絡危害，我們採取了有針對性的方法。根據《廣播法令》（Broadcasting Act），資訊通信媒體發展局 (IMDA) 指定了六種在新加坡具有重大影響力的社交媒體服務平台 (SMS)。它們是 Facebook、HardwareZone、Instagram、TikTok、X（以前稱為 Twitter）和 YouTube。這些社交媒體服務 (SMS)必須遵守 2023 年 7 月 18 日生效的《網際網路行為準則》（Code of Practice for Online Safety）。《網際網路行為準則》要求指定的社交媒體服務平台 (SMS)採取額外措施來加強兒童的網絡安全。這些措施包括確保兒童不會接收社交媒體服務平台 (SMS)有理由認為有損其身心健康的內容的目標，為兒童設置更嚴格的帳戶設置，並為兒童或其父母提供管理其安全的工具。

指定的社交媒體服務平台 (SMS)應在 2024 年 7 月底之前提交第一份網絡安全合規報告，我們將評估其是否遵守《網際網路行為準則》，然後再評估是否有降要收緊任何要求。年齡保證仍然是我們確保兒童網絡安全的主要考慮因素之一。雖然大多數主要社交媒體服務都要求用戶至少年滿13歲，但它們主要依靠用戶的自我聲明。隨著年齡保證方法的日益普及，我們正在認真研究行業如何在這方面做得更多，以更好地保護兒童上網。

過度使用社交媒體也會產生焦慮、抑鬱、失眠和壓力相關問題。這些關聯與使用社交媒體平台的時間、頻率和數量有關。目前尚不清楚僅在社交媒體平台上貼上警告標籤是否能有效遏制過度使用社交媒體。因此，我們採取了更全面的策略，包括教育家長和孩子，並為他們提供更有力的支持。

對於家長懷疑孩子可能對社交媒體產生依賴，可以向社區服務提供者尋求幫助，例如 TOUCH 社區服務，該服務為受影響的青少年提供諮詢和干預計劃。或者，家長也可以求助於專業服務機構，比如國立成癮治療服務（NAMS），以進行評估和干預。

我們還認識到，重要的是儘早提供支持，並在孩子出生前就提高父母的意識。預防勝於治療。在這方面，政府致力於採取更果斷和有效的措施，培養人們使用設備的習慣。衛生部 (MOH) 和社會及家庭發展部 (MSF) 通過兒童和孕產婦護理以及學前教育，負責監督 6 歲以下兒童的關鍵接觸點。他們打算更清晰、更明確地提出有關設備使用和螢幕時間的建議，並在所有醫療保健機構中以更多的提醒方式一致地傳達這些建議。他們可以在幼兒園實施這些建議，並鼓勵在家中採用這些建議。衛生部和社會及家庭發展部將在未來幾個月內完成並宣布這些舉措。與此同時，數碼發展及新聞部正與衛生部和 社會及家庭發展部合作，在切實可行的情況下加強保障措施。

以下是英文質詢內容：

Mr Edward Chia Bing Huiasked the Minister for Communications and Information whether there are any plans to introduce stricter regulations on social media platforms to protect children from potential addiction and harmful content.

Mrs Josephine Teo: My response will also address a similar question for written answer raised by Mr Sitoh Yih Pin1 for a subsequent Sitting.

The Singapore Government strongly believes in protecting our citizens, especially children, from harmful online content and potential addiction. In this regard, regulation plays an important role.

On online harms, we have taken a targeted approach. Under the Broadcasting Act, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has designated six Social Media Services (SMSs) with significant reach or impact in Singapore. They are Facebook, HardwareZone, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. These SMSs are required to comply with the Code of Practice for Online Safety (Online Safety Code), which took effect on 18 July 2023. The Online Safety Code requires designated SMSs to have in place additional measures to enhance the online safety of children. These include ensuring that children are not targeted to receive content that SMSs are reasonably aware to be detrimental to their physical or mental well-being, having in place more restrictive account settings for children, and providing tools for children or their parents to manage their safety.

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Designated SMSs are due to submit their first online safety compliance reports by end-July 2024 and we will evaluate their compliance with the Online Safety Code before assessing if there is a need to tighten any requirements. Age assurance remains one of our key considerations in ensuring the online safety of children. While most major social media services require users to be at least 13 years old, they rely primarily on users』 self-declaration. With the growing availability of age assurance methods, we are seriously studying how the industry can do more on this front to better protect children online.

Excessive use of social media is also a key concern associated with anxiety, depression, insomnia and stress. These associations are linked to the duration, frequency and number of social media platforms being used2. It is as yet unclear if putting warning labels on social media platforms, on its own, will be effective in curbing excessive use. We have instead adopted a more holistic strategy which includes educating and providing stronger support to parents and children.

For parents who suspect that their children may have developed dependency on social media, they can seek help from community service providers, such as TOUCH Community Services, which runs counselling and intervention programmes for affected youths. Alternatively, parents can tap on specialised services, such as the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS), for assessment and intervention.

We also recognise that it is important to go upstream to provide support and create awareness amongst parents early, even before the child is born. Prevention is better than cure. In this regard, the Government is committed to taking more decisive and effective measures to shape the habit of device usage. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) oversee the key touchpoints for children up to six years old, through child and maternity care and preschools. They intend to make their advice on device usage and screen time clearer and more definitive and to deliver them consistently across all healthcare settings with more reminders. They can put such advice into practice in preschools and encourage their adoption at home. MOH and MSF will finalise and announce these initiatives in the coming months. At the same time, Ministry of Communications and Information is working with MOH and MSF to strengthen safeguards where practical.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 107:

1 Question subsequently withdrawn: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Government will consider requiring social media platforms to exhibit warnings of the harmful effects of excessive social media use by children or regulating the age on which a child is allowed to register for a social media account.

2 Zubair, U., Khan, M. K., & Albashari, M. (2023). Link between excessive social media use and psychiatric disorders. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 85(4), 875–878. https://doi.org/10.1097/MS9.0000000000000112

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