Seoul: The government is considering child account bans and teen feature limits as it seeks a balanced response to online addiction, cyberbullying, and deepfake risks. The government has begun considering restrictions on social media use by children under 14, aligning Korea with moves by Australia, Britain, and the European Union to address excessive use of digital platforms among young people.

According to Yonhap News Agency, at a policy briefing with President Lee Jae Myung on July 16, Korea Communications Commission Chairman Kim Jong-cheol proposed banning social media accounts for children younger than 14. For users between 14 and 19, the government is considering limits on addictive features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and recommendation algorithms.

Seoul is taking a more cautious approach than some Western governments. Australia prohibits children under 16 from creating or maintaining social media accounts regardless of parental consent, while Britain plans to introduce similar restrictions next year. In both countries, responsibility falls on platform operators.

Companies are expected to develop systems to prevent children from bypassing the rules with false birth dates, and those that fail to do so may face penalties. The EU, which is preparing regulations that will apply across its 27 member states, has yet to determine an age threshold. Instead of an outright ban, Brussels appears to favor allowing access with parental consent while restricting exposure to addictive features.

Korea's caution reflects the lingering memory of the controversial "shutdown law." Introduced in 2011, the measure barred children under 16 from playing online games late at night. It was repealed in 2022 after criticism over its effectiveness, opposition from teenagers, and concerns that it harmed the gaming industry.

Kim referred to that experience when he pledged to include young people in the public debate over new regulations. President Lee has also stressed that broad public support will be essential.

Given Korea's advanced digital infrastructure and the high rate of social media use among teenagers, the government is right to address problems such as smartphone dependency, cyberbullying, and deepfake crimes. The challenge is to devise rules that protect young people without unnecessarily restricting their freedom and autonomy.

European policymakers' decision to extend the discussion to AI companions also deserves attention. Strict social media regulations combined with looser oversight of AI could simply push teenagers toward excessive reliance on AI chatbots instead.

Korea should learn from both the failures of its shutdown law and the experiences of other countries. Through broad public discussion, it must establish standards that safeguard young people's health while preserving the competitiveness of the country's digital industries.