Raising Awareness of Potential Risks on Emerging Social Media Platforms

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Communications and Information how does the Government support the building of understanding and awareness of potential risks among youths, parents and educators on emerging social media platforms including Tik-Tok and OnlyFans and the creation of a safer Internet culture particularly on such platforms.

The Government is committed to ensuring that our citizens are equipped to use social media and the Internet responsibly and safely, particularly given the constant creation of new platforms like Tik-Tok and OnlyFans. These digital literacy and cyber wellness efforts are undertaken by various Government ministries, often in partnership with stakeholders in the people and private sectors.

My Ministry launched the Digital Media and Information Literacy Framework in July 2019, to provide a common frame for programme owners to deepen Singaporeans’ understanding of the benefits and risks of digital technology. The framework is updated periodically to incorporate emerging trends in the digital space.

The Ministry of Education’s updated Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum equips students with skills to recognise cyber risks, discern negative influences and inappropriate websites, as well as manage excessive use of social media. Schools engage parents in sensitising children to be literate users of the digital space. In addition to MOE’s efforts, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) is working with agencies including MCI, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and MOE, and companies to promote youth mental wellbeing on social media platforms.

The Media Literacy Council (MLC) is a key partner of Government agencies in mitigating online risks. Its 2020 Better Internet Campaign focused on safeguarding youths from online harms and risks, and encouraged online users to exercise sound judgment about content they encounter online. The MLC also worked with technology companies on social campaigns to educate youths on online safety and responsibility, as well as workshops on digital parenting skills.

All of us – the Government, companies and the community – have a role and responsibility to create a safer internet culture. Collectively, these efforts help to nurture a discerning and vigilant community of netizens, which strengthens society’s defence against evolving threats on emerging social media platforms. MCI and our agencies will continue working with our partners to this end.