By Yoon Sung-won
As personal online broadcasting gains popularity as a lucrative career, concerns are rising over suggestive content distributed indiscriminately. On such a backdrop, government organizations, enterprises, civic groups and academic institutions are jointly pushing to arrange self-policing measures, according to industry sources, Tuesday.
Rep. Koh Yong-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said he will host a meeting at the National Assembly on Dec. 6 to discuss ways to encourage personal online broadcasters, or streamers, to self-regulate themselves regarding the content they release online. Rep. Koh has also strongly urged for policies to regulate online broadcasting platforms.
"Worries are rising over suggestiveness and violence in personal online broadcasts, prompting requests for countermeasures," the lawmaker said in a statement. "We have prepared for the meeting based on public consent for a need to establish a healthier internet broadcasting environment."
Rep. Koh will jointly organize the meeting with the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) and Korea Communications Standards Commission. Nineteen representatives from government, industry, academia and social communities have been invited to the meeting as they will form a council committed to clean internet broadcasting, the lawmaker said.
Online broadcasting platforms allow streamers to attract sponsorship from viewers. For instance, streamers who provide broadcasts at AfreecaTV can accept a paid item called a "Star Balloon," which costs 100 won each. After a commission, streamers earn at least 60 percent of the value for each Star Balloon they receive. Under such a profit model, some streamers go as far as to provide obscene or violent shows to lure in more sponsors. AfreecaTV prohibits viewers from offering contributions worth more than 30 million won a day.
During the National Assembly inspection of the KCC in October, Rep. Koh pushed the agency to take stronger measures to regulate excessive profit-seeking activities involving online broadcasting.
"The government has been so complacent about allowing online broadcast viewers to buy and offer too many Star Balloons. We need a countermeasure," Rep. Koh said during the inspection.
KCC Chairman Lee Hyo-seong said, "I'm highly interested in this matter. I will seek measures to stop such side-effects."
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| Rep. Koh Yong-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea speaks during a National Assembly inspection in Seoul on Oct. 17. / Courtesy of Rep. Koh Yong-jin |
Rep. Koh Yong-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said he will host a meeting at the National Assembly on Dec. 6 to discuss ways to encourage personal online broadcasters, or streamers, to self-regulate themselves regarding the content they release online. Rep. Koh has also strongly urged for policies to regulate online broadcasting platforms.
"Worries are rising over suggestiveness and violence in personal online broadcasts, prompting requests for countermeasures," the lawmaker said in a statement. "We have prepared for the meeting based on public consent for a need to establish a healthier internet broadcasting environment."
Rep. Koh will jointly organize the meeting with the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) and Korea Communications Standards Commission. Nineteen representatives from government, industry, academia and social communities have been invited to the meeting as they will form a council committed to clean internet broadcasting, the lawmaker said.
Online broadcasting platforms allow streamers to attract sponsorship from viewers. For instance, streamers who provide broadcasts at AfreecaTV can accept a paid item called a "Star Balloon," which costs 100 won each. After a commission, streamers earn at least 60 percent of the value for each Star Balloon they receive. Under such a profit model, some streamers go as far as to provide obscene or violent shows to lure in more sponsors. AfreecaTV prohibits viewers from offering contributions worth more than 30 million won a day.
During the National Assembly inspection of the KCC in October, Rep. Koh pushed the agency to take stronger measures to regulate excessive profit-seeking activities involving online broadcasting.
"The government has been so complacent about allowing online broadcast viewers to buy and offer too many Star Balloons. We need a countermeasure," Rep. Koh said during the inspection.
KCC Chairman Lee Hyo-seong said, "I'm highly interested in this matter. I will seek measures to stop such side-effects."
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