Seoul: Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced it is in discussions with the South Korean government about implementing measures to limit children's use of social media. The talks aim to establish guidelines that protect teenagers from online harm on these platforms.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Philip Chua, Meta's Asia-Pacific general manager for product public policy, highlighted the ongoing discussions during a "Screen Smart" roundtable held in Seoul. Chua emphasized that protecting teenagers requires industry-wide cooperation and consistent, age-appropriate standards across different apps, as teenagers engage with multiple platforms.
Chua proposed measures such as limiting children's use of Facebook and Instagram to two hours per day and restricting access during late-night hours. He stated that Meta has proactively developed Teen Accounts and introduced strong safety protections by default for teens in Korea, with plans to continue refining these protections through collaboration with policymakers, parents, experts, and industry partners.
Chua noted that while YouTube and TikTok are not participating in the global initiative to enhance online safety for children, Meta is considering reducing the daily usage limit to one hour per application. However, he cautioned against blanket restrictions on social media, suggesting such measures could have unintended consequences, and stressed the importance of allowing parental intervention when needed.
A growing number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, have enacted or proposed age-based restrictions for children's access to social media, with South Korea among those considering similar measures.