South Korea Debates Social Media Restrictions for Adolescents Amid Rights Concerns
South Korea is considering stronger regulations on adolescents’ use of social media amid growing concerns about digital addiction, mental health, and the responsibilities of online platforms. Several proposed amendments to the Network Act seek to introduce measures such as mandatory age verification, parental consent, age-based access restrictions, and limitations on potentially addictive platform features.
However, these proposals have raised important constitutional questions. Social media is increasingly used by young people for communication, self-expression, and access to information. Broad restrictions could therefore interfere with fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and the right to access information.
Legal experts emphasize that regulations should be proportionate, clearly defined, and tailored to different age groups. Rather than imposing blanket bans, policymakers are encouraged to strengthen platform accountability, provide parental control tools, and address potentially harmful recommendation algorithms.
The central challenge is to establish an effective regulatory framework that protects adolescents from online risks without unnecessarily restricting their digital rights.
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