Gov't weighs tighter social media restrictions for minors, targeting addictive features
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Proposed measures raise privacy, digital rights concerns
The government is considering expanding restrictions on minors’ social media use beyond age limits for account registration to include regulations on recommendation algorithms and platform features to curb excessive use.
However, questions remain over how the proposed measures can effectively protect minors from excessive social media use while safeguarding their freedom of expression and access to information.
According to the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), Sunday, it is considering amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act to prohibit children under 14 from creating social media accounts and require platform operators to verify users’ ages.
The commission first proposed the measures during a presidential policy briefing in July. The proposed measures also include disabling personalized recommendation algorithms that analyze users’ interests and browsing histories, as well as features such as infinite scrolling that could encourage excessive use, by default for accounts belonging to users aged 14 to 19.
It aims to finalize the measures by the first half of next year after consulting relevant ministries and stakeholders, including young people.
However, the timeline for legislative changes remain undecided and will depend on further discussions.
The government is considering allowing children under 14 to create social media accounts with parental consent.
The debate over restricting minors' social media use has rapidly spread worldwide.
Australia has banned social media use for minors under 16, while Canada and the U.K. are pursuing similar restrictions for the same age group. The UAE and Denmark have considered a minimum age of 15 and the European Union has generally focused on those under 13.
The KMCC is also reviewing restrictions on features such as autoplay and nighttime notifications that could encourage excessive social media use among teens.
But the specific features to be regulated and the extent of the restrictions have yet to be determined.
A key issue is whether social media platforms should be held accountable for design features that encourage excessive use, marking a shift from traditional safeguards focused on blocking harmful content, user education and parental supervision.
Personalized recommendation algorithms, while helping users discover relevant content, can also prolong screen time by repeatedly suggesting similar material based on browsing histories.
The debate also centers on how far platform responsibility should extend, with proposals ranging from additional safeguards for teenage accounts to changes in default settings, each carrying different implications for operators and regulatory effectiveness.
The proposed measures have also raised concerns over privacy and their effectiveness.
Enforcing age restrictions would require platforms to verify users’ identities, raising concerns about excessive collection of personal information and its potential misuse.
Questions also remain over whether the restrictions would be effective, as minors could circumvent them by using someone else’s account or providing false information.
Safeguarding minors’ freedom of expression and access to information is another concern, as social media serves as a platform for communication, news and educational and cultural content.
Park Kyung-sin, a professor at Korea University Law School, criticized the proposed restrictions in a Facebook post, comparing them to Korea's controversial gaming shutdown system introduced in 2011.
He argued that authorities should address the causes and risks of excessive social media use rather than restrict access altogether.
"Rather than imposing a blanket ban on all minors at the expense of everyone's privacy, it would be better to provide targeted treatment for those struggling with social media addiction or filter out harmful content," Park said.
Meanwhile, KMCC Chairperson Kim Jong-cheol stressed the need for minimum regulatory safeguards, saying excessive social media use among minors cannot be addressed through education alone. Meanwhile, he also emphasized that teenagers should be recognized as individuals with fundamental rights, rather than merely as subjects of protection.