South Korea’s media regulator stated Meta’s proposed changes to protect young users on Facebook and Instagram should extend globally. The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) made the announcement as Seoul weighs stricter rules for social media platforms.
In a statement to Reuters, the KMCC said social media companies must take greater responsibility for safeguarding minors. It cited seven bills pending in South Korea’s parliament aimed at strengthening online youth protections.
Meta’s U.S. settlement sets precedent
The commission’s statement followed a U.S. settlement where Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and implement platform changes. The deal resolved lawsuits from multiple states alleging the company designed features that contributed to youth addiction and mental health harm.
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Meta will adopt measures including limits on usage time, restrictions on notifications, and stronger age-verification tools. It will also provide non-algorithmic feeds and hide engagement metrics like “likes” for younger users.
The KMCC said that, among Meta’s proposed corrective measures, changes to features that may encourage excessive use, including algorithm-based content recommendations, display of engagement metrics such as likes, and push notifications designed to draw users back onto platforms, “would ideally be applied to youth users worldwide as well.”
South Korea pushes for stricter oversight
Seoul has been moving toward stricter oversight of social media use by minors amid growing concerns about excessive screen time and the role of recommendation algorithms in keeping young users engaged. At a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung in July, KMCC Chairman Kim Jong-cheol said the regulator was reviewing phased restrictions on social media use by minors, including limits on algorithms and other features that could encourage excessive use among teenagers.
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Kim said that seven related legislative proposals were already pending in the National Assembly. A KMCC spokesperson said the commission supports efforts to advance the bills through public discussion and consultation. The proposals under discussion include restricting social media access for users under 14 and limiting algorithms and other platform features that could encourage excessive use among teenagers aged 14 to 19.
The debate mirrors a broader global push to protect children online, though proposed restrictions on minors’ social media use have drawn criticism over privacy concerns and questions about enforcement.