South Korea mulls social media ban for children under 14
Synopsis
South Korea's media regulator is considering barring children under 14 from social media entirely and curbing algorithm exposure for teens up to 19 — the most design-specific proposal yet in a global wave of child online safety laws that now spans Australia, the EU, and the UK.
Key Takeaways
Korea Media and Communications Commission chairman Kim Jong-cheol announced on 16 July that a social media ban for children under 14 is under review.
A parallel measure would restrict addictive algorithm exposure for teenagers aged 14 to 19 .
Around seven related bills have already been proposed in South Korea's National Assembly .
South Korea's own Shutdown Law of 2011 — which banned under-16s from late-night gaming — was repealed in January 2022 after rights concerns, serving as a cautionary precedent.
Australia has already banned social media for under-16s; the EU and UK are advancing similar legislation, with UK protections expected from Spring 2027 .
South Korea's media regulator is weighing a ban on social media account creation for children aged 14 and under, its chairman announced on Thursday, 16 July, as governments worldwide intensify scrutiny of the platforms' impact on minors. The proposal, floated at a policy briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, signals that Asia's fourth-largest economy may soon join a growing international push to legislate children's digital lives.
What the Regulator Has Proposed
Kim Jong-cheol, chairman of the Korea Media and Communications Commission, outlined a phased approach at the briefing. The first phase would bar children under 14 from opening accounts on social media platforms altogether. A parallel measure would restrict exposure to addictive design features and recommendation algorithms for teenagers aged 14 to 19.
'We are reviewing, in phases, a plan to restrict children under 14 years of age from creating accounts on social media platforms, and limiting exposure to designs and algorithms that could encourage excessive use of such platforms for teens aged 14 to 19,' Kim said.
Kim added that around seven related pieces of legislation have already been proposed at the National Assembly, suggesting parliamentary groundwork is being laid even as the commission finalises its recommendations.
A Cautionary Precedent: The Shutdown Law
Kim was careful to flag the risks of overreach, citing South Korea's own Shutdown Law of 2011 as a cautionary tale. That law prohibited minors under 16 from accessing online games between midnight and 6 am. It was ultimately repealed in January 2022 after critics argued it infringed on basic rights and damaged the domestic gaming and culture industry.
The reference is significant: it suggests the commission is aware that blunt restrictions can backfire, and that any new framework will need to balance child safety with civil liberties concerns — a tension that has dogged similar legislation globally.
A Global Wave of Regulation
South Korea's deliberations are part of a broader international trend. Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media ownership for those under 16. The European Union has signalled it will table legislation restricting children's platform access after the summer.
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in June that children under 16 would be barred from social media, describing the move as a 'big step' for the country. Regulations are expected to be passed before Christmas, with protections projected to come into force in Spring 2027.
In a video posted on X, Starmer said, 'Thousands of parents say their children are addicted to social media. It can leave them trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling that displaces play, sleep, and time with the family. It can harm their mental health and frankly, parents need our support on this.'
What Happens Next in South Korea
The commission has not announced a formal legislative timeline. The proposal remains under review, and the existence of seven Assembly bills indicates that political consensus is still being built. Industry groups and civil society organisations are likely to weigh in before any draft law is tabled.
If enacted, South Korea's framework would be among the most detailed globally — targeting not just account access but the algorithmic design features that critics argue are engineered to maximise engagement among vulnerable younger users.
Point of View
And the blunt instrument broke. The real test is whether a phased, design-aware framework can survive the constitutional scrutiny and industry lobbying that killed its predecessor. Globally, this regulatory wave is accelerating faster than any evidence base about what actually works, which means South Korea — like Australia and the UK — risks legislating ahead of the science.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is South Korea proposing regarding children and social media?
South Korea's Korea Media and Communications Commission is considering a ban on social media account creation for children aged 14 and under, along with restrictions on addictive design features and algorithms for teenagers aged 14 to 19. The proposal was announced on 16 July by commission chairman Kim Jong-cheol at a policy briefing in Seoul.
Has South Korea tried to restrict minors' digital access before?
Yes. South Korea's Shutdown Law of 2011 banned children under 16 from accessing online games between midnight and 6 am. It was repealed in January 2022 after critics argued it violated basic rights and harmed the gaming industry — a precedent the commission has explicitly acknowledged.
Which other countries are restricting children's social media access?
Australia became the first country to ban social media ownership for under-16s. The European Union plans to introduce similar legislation after summer 2025. In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ban for under-16s in June, with regulations expected before Christmas and protections projected from Spring 2027.
When could South Korea's social media restriction become law?
No formal legislative timeline has been announced. The commission's proposal is still under review, though around seven related bills have already been tabled in the National Assembly, indicating the legislative groundwork is being laid.
Why is the algorithm restriction for 14-to-19-year-olds significant?
Most global proposals focus on blocking account access for younger children. South Korea's additional measure targeting algorithmic design for teenagers aged 14 to 19 goes further, acknowledging that recommendation systems engineered to maximise engagement are themselves a source of harm — not just access to the platforms.
