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South Korea Eyes Social Media Restrictions for Teens Following Australia's Lead

MarketDash Editorial Team
10 hours ago
South Korea's media commission nominee Kim Jong-cheol says teen social media restrictions are a top priority. The move comes as Australia's under-16 ban faces legal challenges from Reddit and raises questions about enforcement and platform definitions worldwide.

Another Country Considers Age Limits

South Korea might be the next country to crack down on teenagers using social media. Kim Jong-cheol, the nominee to lead South Korea's media commission, made his position clear during a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday: restricting teen social media access is high on his agenda.

According to Reuters, Kim framed the issue as fundamental to the commission's mission of creating a secure communication environment for the public. When asked whether South Korea might follow Australia's example, Kim didn't hedge—he said such restrictions are necessary to protect young people.

Reddit Takes Australia to Court

Australia broke new ground last month by becoming the first country to ban children under 16 from major social platforms. The law didn't take long to generate controversy, with Reddit (RDDT) now challenging it in Australia's highest court.

Reddit's argument is twofold: the ban violates constitutional protections for free political communication, and Reddit itself shouldn't even be classified as a social media platform in the first place. The company says it's complying with the law while fighting it, which is a delicate dance.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk noted that his platform X is also removing users who don't meet age requirements, calling it a legal obligation under Australian law.

Who's Actually Covered by the Ban?

Australia's eSafety Commissioner has clarified which platforms fall under the new restrictions, and the exemptions are telling. Discord, Roblox (RBLX), WhatsApp, Google Classroom, Pinterest (PINS), Microsoft's GitHub, and YouTube Kids all got a pass—they're not classified as age-restricted social media under the law.

That leaves the usual suspects: Meta Platforms (META) with Instagram and Facebook, and Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) with YouTube. These platforms face the brunt of regulatory scrutiny as concerns mount over their impact on young users.

South Korea's potential move signals that Australia's experiment won't remain isolated. Countries are watching closely to see how enforcement works, whether age verification technology can function without privacy nightmares, and whether the restrictions actually protect kids or just push them toward less regulated corners of the internet. The global debate over social media and youth is heating up, and tech companies are finding themselves in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

Back to News

South Korea Eyes Social Media Restrictions for Teens Following Australia's Lead

MarketDash Editorial Team
10 hours ago
South Korea's media commission nominee Kim Jong-cheol says teen social media restrictions are a top priority. The move comes as Australia's under-16 ban faces legal challenges from Reddit and raises questions about enforcement and platform definitions worldwide.

Another Country Considers Age Limits

South Korea might be the next country to crack down on teenagers using social media. Kim Jong-cheol, the nominee to lead South Korea's media commission, made his position clear during a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday: restricting teen social media access is high on his agenda.

According to Reuters, Kim framed the issue as fundamental to the commission's mission of creating a secure communication environment for the public. When asked whether South Korea might follow Australia's example, Kim didn't hedge—he said such restrictions are necessary to protect young people.

Reddit Takes Australia to Court

Australia broke new ground last month by becoming the first country to ban children under 16 from major social platforms. The law didn't take long to generate controversy, with Reddit (RDDT) now challenging it in Australia's highest court.

Reddit's argument is twofold: the ban violates constitutional protections for free political communication, and Reddit itself shouldn't even be classified as a social media platform in the first place. The company says it's complying with the law while fighting it, which is a delicate dance.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk noted that his platform X is also removing users who don't meet age requirements, calling it a legal obligation under Australian law.

Who's Actually Covered by the Ban?

Australia's eSafety Commissioner has clarified which platforms fall under the new restrictions, and the exemptions are telling. Discord, Roblox (RBLX), WhatsApp, Google Classroom, Pinterest (PINS), Microsoft's GitHub, and YouTube Kids all got a pass—they're not classified as age-restricted social media under the law.

That leaves the usual suspects: Meta Platforms (META) with Instagram and Facebook, and Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) with YouTube. These platforms face the brunt of regulatory scrutiny as concerns mount over their impact on young users.

South Korea's potential move signals that Australia's experiment won't remain isolated. Countries are watching closely to see how enforcement works, whether age verification technology can function without privacy nightmares, and whether the restrictions actually protect kids or just push them toward less regulated corners of the internet. The global debate over social media and youth is heating up, and tech companies are finding themselves in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.