SINGAPORE - Singapore has introduced a new code requiring designated app distribution services to implement age assurance measures to enhance online safety, particularly for children, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced on Wednesday.

The Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services, which will take effect on March 31, mandates systems or processes to determine a user's age or age range.

These measures may include age estimation technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, or facial age analysis algorithms, or age verification methods that rely on verified sources like digital IDs or credit cards.

The IMDA said that designated services with "significant reach or impact," including Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei App Gallery, Microsoft Store, and Samsung Galaxy Store, must decide on appropriate measures and submit detailed implementation plans.

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"Singapore is an early mover in mandating age assurance measures for app distribution services, including restricting children from accessing and downloading age-inappropriate apps based on age ratings," the IMDA noted in its statement.

The move follows the introduction of a similar code in July 2023, which required designated social media services to minimize users' exposure to harmful content and provide effective, user-friendly reporting tools. Platforms such as Facebook, HardwareZone, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube were designated under that code due to their "significant reach or impact."

App distribution services are described as "key gateways to accessing apps on our digital devices" and "marketplaces for online content, including online games" in the statement, said the government regulator.

With increasing numbers of users, including children, accessing these platforms to download apps, there is a heightened risk of exposure to harmful and age-inappropriate content, the IMDA added.