Google, Meta, TikTok named under 'fake news' law

Korea's media regulatory agency on Wednesday designated eight major online platforms — including Google, Meta, TikTok and domestic giants Naver and Kakao — subject to regulation under the revised Information and Communications Network Act, commonly known as the "fake news" law, which took effect Tuesday.

Shin Young-kyu, director general of the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC)’s consumer policy bureau, announced during a briefing that the watchdog had finalized the list and notified the platforms of their designation.

The full list covers four Korean platforms — Naver, Kakao, Nate and DC Inside — and four overseas services — Google, Meta, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.

The law applies to services where users can post information that others can view and share — covering social media platforms, online communities and video-sharing services. Private one-on-one messaging and closed message services are excluded. Open chat services accessible to an unspecified number of users, however, may fall within the scope of the law. These platforms are subject to regulation based on a threshold of averaging 1 million or more daily active users during the final three months of last year.

Designated platforms are required to manage and remove unlawful content on their services or face heavy fines. If no objections are raised, the designations will take full effect seven days from Wednesday.

They must establish procedures for receiving and processing reports on unlawful content and self-regulatory policies and release transparency reports to the public. The KMCC is tasked with monitoring whether they are meeting these legal obligations while inspecting their overall operations.

If a designated platform does not fulfill its duty to delete or block hate speech or other illegal content, the KMCC may issue a corrective order. If the platform refuses to comply without legitimate reason, it can face criminal penalties under the law.

When asked whether the law could lead to excessive censorship, specifically targeting political satire directed at the government, Shin said that content management remains the primary responsibility of the platforms.

"Basically, the platforms will be the first to determine whether a post — including satire and parodies — violates their internal guidelines," he said. "Ultimately, the courts will hold the final authority on whether any given content violates the law. As rulings accumulate over time, more concrete standards will emerge."