Ahn Min-seok proposes three major reforms for youth SNS safety

Ahn Min-seok, the Superintendent of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, has announced a ‘Three Major Reforms for Youth SNS’ at the National Assembly to promote a safer digital environment for minors.

The proposed reforms consist of three core pillars:

1. ‘Algorithm Pause’: Limiting the use of recommendation algorithms for children under the age of 14 to reduce excessive digital immersion and restore autonomy.

2. ‘SNS Safety Fence’: Implementing default blocking of direct messages (DMs) from unknown adults to protect youth from cybercrimes and predatory behavior.

3. ‘Platform Accountability’: Strengthening the responsibility of social media companies regarding age verification and the protection of minors.

Ahn emphasized that rather than implementing an outright ban on smartphones and social media, society must establish protective measures that allow for safe and healthy usage. He called for legislative action and cooperation between the National Assembly and the education sector to formalize these protections, noting that many other countries in the US and Europe are already adopting stronger safeguards.