PUBLISHED ONJuly 24, 2026 1:15 PMBYKhoo Yi-HangAround 200 cases have been reported to the Online Safety Commission (OSC) following its formation in late June, Minister for Law Edwin Tong revealed in a speech on Friday (July 24).
He was speaking at the SHECARES Centre Open House at Chip Bee Gardens on Friday, an event also attended by OSC commissioner Francis Ng.
SHECARES is a support centre for victims of online harm and is run by independent non-profit SG Her Empowerment (SHE).
It provides free counselling, assistance in filing reports, and legal advice in partnership with lawyers from Pro Bono SG.
OSC was launched on June 29 with the aim of helping victims of online harms seek redress as part of the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act (Osraa).
"[Ng] has had a very busy start with about 200 cases already, which reflects what we had thought as we did the studies and research into why we needed to pass this piece of legislation," Tong said, referring to Osraa.
"This space [and the need for it] is growing… I think the work that Francis and his team is doing underscores that."
One case shared by Tong involved two children who have been doxxed. They found images of themselves and their contact number online.
These children turned to their families for help, who in turn, reaching out to the OSC for assistance.
"The OSC worked quickly with the platform to remove these posts and suspend the offending accounts," he stated.
"Their parents later expressed relief and appreciation for the OSC's timely action."
Another incident involved a victim who discovered that an intimate recording had been uploaded to a pornographic website without consent.
The OSC was able to issue a takedown direction to the website, which complied and removed the video, Tong said.
While online harms may seem like something we commonly encounter in our lives, to these victims, "they mean the world", Tong also explained.
"I think the efforts that we put into getting us where we are today are highly commendable."
SHE conducted a survey of 1,048 Singapore citizens and permanent residents above the age of 15 and found that around four in 10 people have experienced an online harm in their lives.
The survey, conducted in April, took place before the OSC started operations.
SHE also found that a quarter of those surveyed encountered at least one online harm in the past year, while four in 10 survivors of online harms have been severely impacted in their lives, whether mentally, physically or financially.
While he acknowledged the efforts and successes of the OSC and Osraa, more needs to be done, Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, said.
"Let me just underscore that laws and regulations alone cannot be enough," he said.
"We can't stop there. For Osraa and OSC to make a difference, survivors must know that help exists… They must understand how to get help, and they must feel confident enough to step forward to seek help."
This is why organisations such as SHE are important, as they bridge the gap between the support that is available and the survivors who need it.
Over the past three years, SHE has provided assistance to victims of online harms, allowing them to "regain confidence" and take steps towards recovery, Tong added.
Addressing SHE, he said: "The work that you do really changes lives. Each survivor you support sends a simple but powerful message to others facing similar harm: You need not go this alone. You have the support of and a framework in society to support you."
The open house, which will be open to the public on July 25, features interactive exhibits such as a telephone booth for the public to record short video messages with words of encouragement for online harm survivors.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com