Extending Singpass business verification to live-streaming commerce under Code of Practice for Social Media Services

Question:

Mr Shawn Loh: To ask the Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Government will require Singpass verification for locally registered businesses on live-streaming platforms under the new Code of Practice for Social Media Services, similar to the requirement for e-commerce platforms, to provide greater consumer assurance and merchant accountability, given that these live streams may use third-party payment gateways outside of the original host platforms.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. Where a live-streaming service accessible in Singapore is used or likely to be used to facilitate e-commerce scams, the authorities will consider appropriate action under the Online Criminal Harms Act 2023 (OCHA). This may include designating the provider of such live-streaming services under OCHA and applying the Code of Practice for E-Commerce Services to them, including the requirement for high-risk sellers and advertisers to undergo verification against official Government-issued records.