Youth SNS regulation, should we just stop them from signing up? Review recommendations and infinite scrolling

As the government is considering restrictions on youth use of social networking services (SNS), regulatory discussions are expanding not only to the age of subscription but also to recommendation algorithms and service design that can lead to excessive use.

Measures to strengthen the platform's protection responsibility by restricting registration for those under the age of 14 and adjusting customized recommendations and infinite scroll functions for youth accounts are being considered.

The issue is the scope and effectiveness of regulation.

The key question is whether it is possible to guarantee youth freedom of expression and right to access information while resolving issues of personal information collection and bypass sign-up due to age verification. Discussions surrounding the level of protection and scope of responsibility of platforms are expected to begin in earnest ahead of the preparation of measures in the first half of next year.

◇ Restrictions on subscription for those under 14 years of age and adjustment of recommendation functions… The direction of government review is

According to the Korea Media and Communications Commission on the 8th, the plans being considered by the government are largely divided into age restrictions on subscription and regulation of service functions that may cause overindulgence.

In the President's work report last July, the Korea Media and Communications Commission announced that it would consider restricting SNS subscriptions for those under the age of 14 and mandating user age verification by revising the Information and Communications Network Act.

We also proposed a plan to not provide customized recommendation functions and infinite scrolling, which expose content by analyzing the user's interests and usage history, to accounts for those under the age of 19. The purpose is to regulate the service design itself that encourages users to continue flipping through content or staying on the platform.

The Korea Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission is currently reviewing overall functions related to youth overdependence on SNS. We plan to collect opinions on the need and method of restricting individual functions such as auto play and night notifications, but it has not been decided which functions will be restricted and to what extent.

The nine amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act pending in the National Assembly also contain various protection measures to prevent youth overdependence on SNS. The Korea Communications Commission plans to conduct in-depth discussions on the necessity and appropriate level of specific protective measures.

◇ Service design that induces excessive immersion… To what extent is the platform responsible?

What is noteworthy in this discussion is whether to hold the platform accountable for its design and operation method, beyond protecting young users.

While existing youth protection policies focused on blocking harmful content, user education, and guidance for guardians, recent discussions are also focused on service structures that can encourage excessive use by users.

Customized recommendations increase convenience by providing content tailored to the user's interests, but concerns are also raised that similar content may be continuously exposed based on usage history, increasing usage time. Infinite scrolling, auto-play, and repetitive notifications are also pointed out as factors that make it difficult for users to stop using it on their own.

However, this function does not have the same effect on all teenagers. Standards must be established to determine which features lead to excessive use by youth, and it must also be taken into account that if uniform restrictions are imposed, the opportunity for youth to access necessary information or content in areas of interest may be reduced.

What level of responsibility should be imposed on the platform is also an issue. The business operator's obligations and regulatory effects may vary depending on whether to apply separate protection functions to youth accounts or change the default settings for specific functions.

◇ Age verification and bypass registration are difficult… Youth basic rights are also an issue

To limit the age of subscription, you must check the user's actual age. However, there are concerns that personal information may be excessively collected or used for other purposes during the age verification process, such as identity verification.

The Korea Media and Communications Commission plans to review age verification methods in consideration of the current status of domestic systems and technical conditions, and discuss personal information protection issues with the relevant ministries if necessary. Even if registration is blocked after age verification, there is a possibility of circumventing the regulations by using someone else's account or entering false information.

Securing compliance with regulations by domestic and foreign platform operators is also a challenge. The Korea Media and Communications Commission announced that if regulations are introduced, sufficient discussion and review will be conducted in advance to ensure that target operators can implement them. However, no specific implementation plan or method of application to overseas businesses has yet been presented.

It is also important to ensure that youth's basic rights and right to access information are guaranteed. SNS is not only a means of communicating with friends, but also a channel for accessing news, information, and educational and cultural content. In the process of restricting use, we must also consider varying the level of regulation by age and function to avoid excessive infringement on freedom of expression and the right to access information.

Kim Jong-cheol, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, appeared on a broadcast last July and said, "Minimum regulations are necessary as it is difficult to solve the problem through education alone," but emphasized that youth should be viewed as subjects of basic rights, not simply as objects of protection. The purpose is to reflect the opinions of youth and secure social consensus in order to avoid repeating the failure of past game shutdown systems.

The Korea Communications Commission plans to collect opinions from various stakeholders, including youth, in cooperation with related ministries, including those in charge of youth policy. However, the specific public discussion method and legislative schedule have not been determined. Separate from the goal of preparing a response plan by the first half of next year and the timing of the law revision, the legislative schedule will be reviewed according to the progress of future discussions.

In the end, the core of the regulatory debate is not simply preventing youth from using SNS, but how to protect who from what risks and how. A system design that takes into account youth protection, guarantee of basic rights, and platform responsibility is required.