Debated in Parliament on 6 May 2026.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many police reports were received in 2025 concerning the circulation of AI-generated fake obscene images of real persons; (b) what proportion of these cases involved perpetrators and victims who were fellow students in educational institutions; and (c) what can victims or complainants expect in follow-up actions by the police.
Sir, the Police do not track how many of the obscene materials cases it investigates involve AI-generated images of real persons.
Where there is a report relating to any obscene material, the Police will conduct investigations, including through interviewing the accused and other witnesses, and examining any digital forensic evidence that may be available. For cases involving young victims, the Police may notify the parents or guardians. The Police will also offer victim care services to victims who require psychological support.
If the AI-generated obscene images are circulating online, the Police may issue directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act to online service providers to disable Singapore users’ access to them.
Ms Lim.
Thank you, Sir. I have three supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. The first is that in some cases that I have come across, I was told by the victims that they reported to Police that their images had been artificially created and put up on porn websites, and the Police had advised them to take action under the Protection from Harassment Act, as it is a non-arrestable offence. I would like the Senior Minister of State to clarify whether this is actually the default position of the Police in such reports.
Second, to be fair to the Police, in the cases that I know of, after we appealed for the victim, the Police actually assisted to have the images removed. So, that is very helpful and of most concern to the victims. I would like to ask whether that is something that the Police does ordinarily from most of these reports.
The third question is, I believe that under the Penal Code, there are actually some arrestable offences that would actually cover some of the conduct – for example, being in possession of intimate images and so on, under section 377BD and 377BE. So, I would like to ask when the Police would classify the case under these arrestable offences and investigate with the view to prosecution.
Sir, I believe that the first and the third supplementary questions from the Member are related. I would say that if the facts of the case are such that it warrants taking action under the Penal Code for offences relating to the circulation of intimate images, the Police will do so. So, it is not that there is a default position to go a certain route – everything depends on the facts of the case as disclosed.
In terms of what happens to the images that are, say, circulating online, as I have also shared in the main reply, where there are obscene images circulating online, and which, in the course of investigation, or due to the report, it is known, the Police may issue directions to the online service providers to block access of Singapore users to them.
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