Korean media regulator to step up monitoring of hate and mockery on social media
In short
The Broadcasting Media and Communications Deliberation Commission (방송미디어통신심의위원회) said on 20 October it will begin intensive monitoring of hate, mockery and discriminatory content spreading on social media through short videos and memes. It said it has issued correction requests for 625 such items since April. It will apply a zero-tolerance approach to content demeaning socially marginalised groups, while taking context into account to protect legitimate criticism and satire.
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The Broadcasting Media and Communications Deliberation Commission (방송미디어통신심의위원회), abbreviated in Korean as 방미심위, said on 20 October that it will begin intensive monitoring of hate, mockery and discriminatory information spreading on social media through short-form videos and internet memes. Yonhap reported that the commission took the decision out of concern that such information, spread quickly by recommendation algorithms, can harm teenagers' daily lives and values. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
ZDNet Korea reported that teenagers may come to accept such expressions as a passing trend or play and become desensitised to discrimination and prejudice. The commission said it will respond with zero tolerance to illegal or harmful content that demeans marginalised groups such as disabled and elderly people, or fosters discrimination and prejudice without reasonable grounds. It added that it will weigh the context of posts so that legitimate criticism and satirical expression are not discouraged. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to Yonhap and Newsis, the commission has stepped up monitoring of hate and discrimination expressions that incite violence or seriously damage human dignity on grounds such as gender, disability and age, following the enforcement of a revision of the Information and Communications Network Act in July. From April to the date of the announcement it requested corrections, including deletion and access blocking, for 625 items of malicious hate, mockery and discriminatory information aimed at specific groups and marginalised groups. [ 2 , 3 ]
The commission also asked service providers to keep checking how content that fosters discrimination and prejudice is circulated and to strengthen their own measures to prevent its distribution. Newsis quoted the commission as saying that a healthy online culture requires the active interest and participation of both service providers and users. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Alongside the monitoring, the commission is running prevention education for teenagers. Since September it has provided media ethics education for aspiring creators at schools recommended by six regional education offices (Gangwon, North Chungcheong, Daegu, Gwangju, North Gyeongsang and Daejeon) and at high schools nationwide that applied in advance. The commission asked the public to report hate, mockery or discriminatory information found online through its reporting page or by calling 1377. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The commission said recommendation algorithms spread such content quickly and may affect teenagers' daily lives and values. It also asked service providers to take their own steps to prevent distribution. The documents do not say what penalties apply or how the new monitoring will differ from earlier work.
Key facts
- The commission said on 20 October that it will begin intensive monitoring of hate, mockery and discriminatory information spreading on social media through short videos and memes. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- From April to now, the commission requested corrections, such as deletion and access blocking, for 625 items of malicious hate, mockery and discriminatory information aimed at specific groups and marginalised groups. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The commission said it will respond with zero tolerance to illegal or harmful content that demeans marginalised groups such as disabled and elderly people or fosters discrimination and prejudice without reasonable grounds. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It said it will weigh the context of posts so that legitimate criticism and satire are not discouraged. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Since September it has run media ethics education for aspiring creators at schools recommended by six regional education offices (Gangwon, North Chungcheong, Daegu, Gwangju, North Gyeongsang, Daejeon) and at nationwide high schools that applied in advance. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The commission asked the public to report hate, mockery and discriminatory information via its reporting page or by calling 1377. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The commission announced on 20 October that it will begin intensive monitoring of hate, mockery and discriminatory information on social media. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It has requested corrections for 625 items of such information from April to now. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It has run media ethics education at high schools since September. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- What penalties or further measures follow if service providers do not act on the commission's request. The documents say only that the commission asked providers to check distribution and strengthen voluntary prevention measures.
- How the new intensive monitoring differs in practice from the monitoring already under way. The documents describe the 625 correction requests and the new monitoring but do not give separate figures or methods.