New online safety Bill preserves freedom with responsibility: Forum
Source: Straits Times
Article Date: 11 Nov 2025
The Bill preserves what matters most: freedom with responsibility. It protects the right to speak while affirming the right to be safe. Words have power, and accountability is what makes that power fair, says the author.
It began with a few hurtful comments – the kind I thought would fade away. Then came the messages, the rumours, the edited photos. Within days, a simple disagreement online turned into targeted harassment. I tried to ignore it, as people often advise, but harassment doesn’t stop when you look away. It grows in silence.
For a long time, victims of online harm in Singapore had limited recourse. Reporting to platforms rarely brought results, and legal action felt slow or intimidating. Many quietly withdrew from social spaces, trading their voices for safety.
The new Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill changes that (Online harms victims can seek civil damages under new law debated in Parliament, Nov 5).
For the first time, ordinary citizens can act swiftly and decisively when facing online abuse. The Bill establishes an independent Online Safety Commission and a civil relief framework that lets individuals seek quick protection from doxing, stalking, or the sharing of intimate images.
It also allows people to pursue civil remedies directly against those who post or host harmful content. This gives power back to victims, not platforms.
Some have suggested adding a “fair comment” clause to shield public discussion. But the Bill already draws a clear line between opinion and harassment. It targets behaviour, not criticism. A broad exemption would only open loopholes for aggressors to mask abuse as commentary, forcing victims into drawn-out debates about intent instead of getting relief.
The Bill preserves what matters most: freedom with responsibility. It protects the right to speak while affirming the right to be safe. Words have power, and accountability is what makes that power fair.
Having experienced online harassment myself, I know how isolating it feels. The Bill restores hope. It says to victims: You are not powerless, and your safety matters.
Singapore’s approach is measured and forward-looking – a law built from five years of consultation that balances compassion and pragmatism. While other countries rely on bans and censorship, the Bill builds empowerment and empathy into its framework.
The internet will always be a place for ideas and debate. But it should also be a place of respect. With this Bill, Singapore takes an important step towards that goal – giving every citizen not just protection but also a voice with dignity.
Delane Lim
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
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