South Korea Push to Restrict Teen Social Media Use
“Make sure that discussions are conducted thoroughly and swiftly,” South Korean President Lee Jae-myung told officials during a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House on Nov. 3. President Lee called for a review of measures restricting teenage social media use alongside stricter awareness campaigns against misinformation.
The government’s push involves potential sign-up bans for children under 14 and restrictions on algorithmic features such as infinite scrolls and personalized content recommendations for users under 19. Officials are evaluating amendments to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. Nine separate legislative bills targeting minor social media engagement are currently pending in the National Assembly.
President Lee Questions Regulatory Progress During Cabinet Meeting
During the November 3 Cabinet meeting, President Lee asked Kim Jong-cheol, Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, about the progress of regulatory deliberations. Lee noted that comparable restrictions are under discussion in Europe, Australia, and Canada, pointing out that public opinion polls suggest nearly 80 percent of people support limiting youth access.
Kim Jong-cheol urged caution during the session, drawing a parallel to South Korea’s former gaming shutdown system. That previous policy banned children under 16 from playing online games between midnight and 6 a.m. before it was abolished in 2022 following criticism that it was ineffective and did little to curb excessive gaming. Kim emphasized that any new framework requires a careful, phased approach built upon broad social consensus. The commission plans to finalize its comprehensive response strategy by the first half of next year following public consultation processes.
Crackdown on Fake News
Alongside youth platform limits, President Lee addressed the societal impact of unverified online claims, stating that misinformation now threatens the fundamental order of the state. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young added at the same meeting that he suffered irreparable reputational damage after false rumors claimed he had a daughter in North Korea, prompting him to file a criminal complaint.
Lee also criticized media practices, stating: “[Journalists] think they are exempt from responsibility as long as they state that someone else made the claims.”
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