Preparing an Online Harm Notice
Generate an Online Harm Notice on this page. Learn how to prepare it here.
Last updated 30 June 2026
Please be warned that there are legal consequences for sending frivolous or false online harm notices to administrators and online platforms.
To ensure that only genuine, properly documented cases trigger their duty to act, OSRAA provides that administrators and online platforms may hold those who send frivolous or false online harm notices liable in civil proceedings. Those who are found to have sent frivolous or false online harm notice may be liable for the loss suffered as a result of such online harm notice, including compensatory damages.
Preparing an Online Harm Notice is the first step to provide sufficient particulars for an administrator or online platform to address online harm occurring on the online location or service they are responsible for, and to determine adequate steps to address the online harm.
You may generate the Online Harm Notice here. You will receive an email with a PDF attachment of your completed Online Harm Notice for sending to the administrator or online platform.
You will need to use Singpass to prepare the Online Harm Notice. To see how the Online Harm Notice might look like, see the documents below:
If you are preparing the Online Harm Notice for yourself [PDF, 342.69 KB]
If you are preparing the Online Harm Notice on behalf of someone else [PDF, 412.07 KB]
The following sections highlight that the information that should be contained in an Online Harm Notice.
Personal Particulars
An Online Harm Notice must state who is sending it. This is usually done through Singpass.
If you are preparing the notice for yourself
You will need to provide your personal particulars through Singpass.
If you are preparing the notice for someone else
The law allows certain people to prepare and send an Online Harm Notice for another person. This includes:
a parent, or guardian for a person below 18 years of age;
an appointed deputy or donee; or
an authorised representative, such as a lawyer or community partner.
If you are preparing the notice in one of these roles, you will need to provide your own personal particulars through Singpass.
If you are worried about revealing your identity
In some cases, you may be concerned that giving your personal particulars to the administrator or online platform could make things worse.
For example, the harmful content may identify you only by your online handle, image, or other description, and you may not want your real name or other personal particulars to be disclosed to the person responsible for the content.
In such cases, you may ask an authorised representative to prepare and send the Online Harm Notice on your behalf.
The authorised representative will need to provide their own personal particulars through Singpass. They do not need to provide your particulars in the notice. However, they should provide enough information to identify you in relation to the harmful content. This could include, where relevant:
your username, account handle or profile link;
the post, image, video or comment where you are identified; or
a short description that makes clear who the notice concerns.
Description of the online harmful activity which occurred
You will need to explain:
what happened;
where it happened;
when it happened; and
who was involved, that is who carried out the online harm.
For examples of descriptions of online harm, you may refer to following sample Online Harm Notices for each harm:
Declaration and Acknowledgement
You will need to declare that the information provided in preparing the Online Harm Notice is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge and belief.
You must also acknowledge that the information provided in the Online Harm Notice may be used for analytical and record purposes.
If you need help preparing your online harm notice
Anyone close to you may help with the preparation of the online harm notice. If you need help with the preparation of the online harm notice, you may also find avenues of support here.
In addition, if you are below 18, your parent or guardian may send the online harm notice on your behalf. If you are 18 years old and above, you may also authorise someone to prepare and send the online harm notice on your behalf.
An appointed deputy or donee may also prepare and send an online harm notice for a person who lacks capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2008.