SINGAPORE, July 31 — Singapore should focus on making social media platforms safer rather than imposing a blanket age ban on young users, a government-appointed panel has recommended.

The panel, convened by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to study the impact of social media on youth mental health, said the risks were serious enough to require action even though research has not established a direct cause-and-effect link, Singapore-based news outlet CNA reported today.

“Definitive causal links between problematic social media use and adverse mental health outcomes have not yet been established, and conclusive causal evidence may take years to emerge,” MOH said.

“However, the evidence of association is clear and sufficient to act on,” it added.

The panel said blanket age restrictions could be ineffective as young users may find ways around them, while also failing to distinguish between harmful and beneficial uses of social media.

Instead, it recommended targeting platform features that may encourage unhealthy use, such as endless scrolling, autoplay, algorithm-driven feeds, visible “like” counts and anonymous accounts.

The panel warned that such features could expose young users to cyberbullying, harmful content, social comparison and compulsive online behaviour.

It noted that one in three Singapore youths aged 15 to 17 spend more than three hours a day on social media, while one in six people aged 10 to 24 show signs of problematic social media use.

However, the panel said excessive use alone was not the main concern, with problematic use – where behaviour becomes persistent, compulsive or addiction-like – more strongly linked to poorer mental health outcomes.

“Problematic social media use and poor mental health may be mutually reinforcing, with each worsening over time,” the panel said.

The panel also recommended stronger age verification measures, greater support for parents and young users, and a wider effort involving schools, healthcare providers, social media companies and the government.

Its recommendations come as countries including Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Indonesia move towards restricting social media access for younger users.

Singapore has so far avoided a blanket ban, with Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo saying earlier this month that restricting access was “not the starting point” and “not the preferred outcome”.

Instead, the government has introduced measures requiring major social media platforms to reduce children’s exposure to harmful online content and improve safety features.