South Korea’s media regulator has called for Meta’s proposed measures to protect young users from potentially addictive social media features to be applied worldwide, as the country considers strengthening its own rules governing how platforms such as Facebook and Instagram serve children and teenagers.
The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) said social media companies need to take greater responsibility for protecting minors online. The regulator’s comments follow major settlements announced in the United States involving Meta, under which the company agreed to pay up to $18 billion and introduce a series of changes to its platforms following allegations that its products contributed to youth addiction and harmed mental health.
Among the measures proposed by Meta are limits on usage time, restrictions on notifications, stronger age-verification systems, non-algorithmic feed options and the ability to hide likes and other engagement metrics for younger users.
The KMCC said several of these measures could have relevance beyond the US. In particular, it highlighted changes to features that may encourage excessive platform use, including algorithm-driven recommendations, visible engagement metrics such as likes and push notifications designed to bring users back to social media. The regulator said these protections would ideally be extended to young users globally.
South Korea is simultaneously considering tougher domestic regulations. The country has been examining ways to limit the influence of recommendation algorithms and other engagement mechanisms that can encourage teenagers to spend excessive amounts of time on social platforms.
At a policy briefing in July, KMCC Chairman Kim Jong-cheol said the regulator was reviewing phased restrictions on social media use by minors. According to the regulator, seven related bills are currently pending in South Korea’s National Assembly.
Among the proposals under discussion is a potential restriction on social media access for children under 14 years old, alongside limitations on algorithms and other platform features that could promote excessive use among teenagers aged 14 to 19.
The proposals reflect growing concern among governments worldwide about the impact of social media design on children and teenagers. Recommendation algorithms, notifications and engagement-based features are increasingly being scrutinised because they can encourage repeated or prolonged use of platforms.
However, tighter restrictions also raise questions around privacy, age verification, freedom of access and enforcement. Regulators therefore face the challenge of balancing stronger protections for minors with practical and proportionate rules that can be implemented effectively.
South Korea’s position adds to a broader international debate over whether social media companies should adopt stronger protections for younger users voluntarily or face legally mandated restrictions. The KMCC’s call for Meta’s measures to be applied globally suggests that youth-safety standards could increasingly become an international expectation rather than being limited to individual markets.
Author
About the Author
