Spyware for teenagers

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sun, October 1, 2023 | 14:09

Tech

Spyware for teenagers

Posted : 2015-05-21 16:15

Updated : 2015-05-21 16:15

"Smart Sheriff" app on the PlayStore

By John-Patrick Gerard Thackeray

Lawmakers and the Korean Communications Commission have made the installation of a data-tracking application on the phones of those under 18 mandatory.

The government has funded the "Smart Sheriff" app that Korean firm MOIBA developed. It was designed to block harmful material, such as pornography and gambling. But it has a built-in key logger that detects more than 1,100 trigger words and phrases such as "kill," "rape," "don't want to live," and "suicide."

According to Statistics Korea, more than 80 percent of Korean schoolchildren own or have access to a smartphone.There has been some opposition to the law in online forums such as Naver. One teenager said: "I'd rather not buy a phone, it's a violation of students' privacy and oppressing freedom." Another said they would "wait till I turn 19 to get a new phone."

The KCC wants all major telcos and parents to ensure the app is installed when young people get a new phone. While older phones are not required to have the app, schools are urging parents to cooperate in installing the software.

But Open Net Korea thinks the app is going "overboard," and is "harmful to juveniles." It has threatened legal action if the KCC does not change the law. And there are concerns that the KCC might make it mandatory for all citizens to have a similar app installed on their phones.