Singapore legislation

Clause 34

of Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill

Clause 34

Right‑of‑reply (user) direction — content

(1)

A right‑of‑reply (user) direction is a direction requiring the recipient to communicate in Singapore a reply notice, in relation to relevant material communicated in Singapore, within a specified time —

(a)

to any specified person or description of persons; and

(b)

in a specified form and manner.

(2)

For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), a requirement to communicate in Singapore a reply notice in a specified form and manner may include a requirement to communicate the reply notice —

(a)

at a specified online location; or

(b)

in specified proximity to the relevant material.

(3)

For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), a requirement to communicate in Singapore a reply notice in a specified form and manner may also include a requirement to communicate the reply notice in specified proximity to every copy of any material substantially similar to the relevant material that is communicated by the recipient in Singapore.

(4)

A right‑of‑reply (user) direction may only be given in respect of a publication of false material as defined in section 17, a publication of statement harmful to reputation as defined in section 18, and an online instigation of disproportionate harm as defined in section 19.

(5)

In addition to applying to online material that is made accessible to persons in Singapore before or on the date the right‑of‑reply (user) direction is given, the requirement in subsection (3) may also apply to online material (substantially similar to the relevant material) that is first made accessible to persons in Singapore after the date the right‑of‑reply (user) direction is given.

(6)

In this section, “specified” means specified in the right‑of‑reply (user) direction.

(7)

To avoid doubt, in this section, material that is substantially similar to the relevant material includes material that is identical to the relevant material.