The audit, conducted between April and December 2025, assessed the effectiveness of age verification systems and content removal processes mandated under the Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services, which took effect in March 2025. Among the most significant findings was the presence of an application with a “nudification function” capable of using artificial intelligence to transform uploaded photos of individuals into sexually explicit images. Other removed applications included a game featuring excessive violent content involving murder, and a gambling app offering payouts in cryptocurrency or real money. IMDA declined to name the specific apps removed or re-rated in its report.
Of the 65 apps removed for breaching store policies, 59 contained sexual content, four contained violent content, and two contained material facilitating vice and organised crime. The 24 apps with inaccurate age ratings included 14 with sexual content, seven with content facilitating vice and organised crime, and three with violent content. Misleading ratings were also found on AI chatbots with sexualised prompts, games depicting weapons in school settings, and role-playing games centred on crime and drug themes. IMDA noted that while the number of identified apps is small relative to the total available, the findings demonstrate that harmful content can still bypass existing safeguards.
IMDA reported that app stores generally have baseline safety measures in place, with age checks considered well-implemented. These mechanisms include verifying government-issued identity documents or credit card information, scanning faces, and analysing online usage patterns to prevent users under 18 from downloading inappropriate material. However, the authority indicated room for improvement in the consistent removal of harmful apps and the accuracy of age ratings. The findings were published on October 24 in IMDA’s inaugural Online Safety Assessment Report 2026 for Designated App Distribution Services, which also summarised the stores’ own online safety reports for the period ending December 31, 2025.
The audit follows public consultations involving 2,000 parents and teens, which highlighted concerns over excessive screen time, inappropriate content, and interactions with strangers. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned in August that platforms failing to protect teens from addictive features might be required to raise minimum user ages beyond 13. While most parents supported age verification and estimation techniques, they expressed concern over excessive personal data collection by platforms, suggesting that identity verification should be managed by the government. Young respondents generally supported granting greater social media access from age 16, citing increased maturity and the tech-reliant nature of modern activities.
