South Korea may consider social media ban for teens

ISTANBUL

South Korea’s nominee for its media watchdog said on Tuesday that he would consider a social media ban for teenagers, according to local media.

The Korea Media Communications Commission nominee, Kim Jong-cheol, said that the ban is “absolutely necessary,” during his parliamentary confirmation hearing, responding to a question on whether the country should introduce age restrictions for social media platforms, Yonhap reported.

"Youth protection is one of the core issues among my key responsibilities, and I am prepared to pursue this task with a strong commitment," he said.

"As increasingly sophisticated AI technologies are being used for hacking and cyberterrorism, the number of victims in the media and communications sector is rising rapidly," he noted, explaining his plans to strengthen dispute resolution systems and reinforce the regulator's role in protecting users.

“At the same time, criticism is growing that our role in protecting social media users has weakened,” Kim added.

He also said that he would advance the adoption of AI in the broadcasting and media industry to drive innovation and increase global competitiveness.

Australia became the first country on Dec. 10 to implement a ban on social media for children aged under 16.