PUBLISHED ONOctober 24, 2026 11:27 AMBYSean LerAs part of its first online safety assessment since the introduction of the App Distribution Services (ADS) Code in March last year, Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) conducted mystery shopper testing of more than 7,000 apps across five designated App Distribution Services (D-ADSs).
The five D-ADSs, commonly referred to as app stores, are the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei AppGallery, Microsoft Store, and Samsung Galaxy Store.
In a media release issued on Saturday (Oct 24), the authority said its online safety assessment report aims to help Singapore users, particularly parents, make informed decisions about online safety risks and the safety measures available on different app stores.
The report is also intended to strengthen accountability among app store operators and encourage them to keep users safe online.
"This is part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Singapore’s online safety regulations and public education, to better address the growing range of harmful online content and protect Singapore users from online harms," IMDA said.
According to the regulator, Singapore is among the first countries in the world to regulate app stores for online safety and publish a comprehensive assessment of their online safety measures.
Other jurisdictions with some form of age assurance and/or safety measures include Australia, the European Union and Malaysia.
IMDA said its report assessed the effectiveness of age assurance measures and enhanced protections for children; safety measures to remove egregious and harmful apps, including the assignment of appropriate age-ratings; and user reporting and resolution measures.
And while the regulator found that all app stores have baseline safety measures in place, with age assurance measures present and generally well implemented, it also found room for improvement in removing apps with harmful content and ensuring apps are assigned appropriate age ratings.
IMDA's testing also uncovered weaknesses in some app review and moderation processes.
A total of 65 apps were found to contain harmful content that violated the app stores' own policies, while 24 apps were assigned lower age ratings despite containing content that should have been rated 18+.
IMDA also found instances where under-18 users were not restricted by default from downloading 18+ apps on some app stores.
According to IMDA, the apps included sexual content, content facilitating vice and organised crime, and violent content. The apps were identified during IMDA's mystery shopper testing of more than 7,000 apps across the five designated app stores.
These apps were removed or re-rated only after IMDA notified the app stores, which the regulator said points to weaknesses in some app review processes.
While the number of such apps was small relative to the large number of apps available on app stores, IMDA said the findings show that harmful and age-inappropriate apps can still slip through existing safeguards, underscoring the need for app stores to strengthen their content moderation and app review processes.
"IMDA will continue to hold D-ADSs responsible for ensuring that users’ access or exposure to harmful content on their services are minimised, and that age ratings are applied accurately and consistently," the regulator said.
It added that accurate age ratings are important to reduce children's exposure to age-inappropriate content and help parents and guardians make informed decisions about apps used by their children.
Meanwhile, IMDA found inconsistencies in how app stores informed users of the outcomes of reports submitted through their reporting channels.
Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store were also found not to have notified users within six months after an app they had downloaded was removed from the platform.
The regulator said the app stores have acknowledged the identified weaknesses and have either already rectified them or are working towards solutions to address them.
Commenting on its inaugural report, the authority reminded users that while the app stores have safeguards to help protect children under 18, everyone can play a part in fostering a safer online environment, especially for children.
"IMDA will continue to work with the D-ADSs to ensure that these measures are effectively implemented and that identified gaps are addressed," it said.
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