Translation result
[Digital Today reporter Son Seul-gi] The Broadcasting, Media and Communications Committee said it held a roundtable in Seoul on the 28th to discuss the scope of children’s and adolescents’ overreliance on social media (SNS) and possible policy responses.
Seven participants attended — representatives of major parent organizations, current middle and high school teachers, and subject-matter experts — and the meeting featured expert presentations followed by an open discussion.
Seong Uk-je, a research fellow at the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI), delivered a presentation titled “Children and Adolescents’ Social Media Addiction: Holding Platforms Accountable for Design.” He warned that increased SNS use harms young people’s physical and mental health, identified functional problems in service design, and reviewed overseas policy examples.
Parents expressed concern about side effects such as diminished concentration resulting from excessive SNS use and urged safeguards for features that drive over-engagement and addiction. Teachers pointed to sleep deprivation and relationship conflicts linked to heavy SNS use, arguing that rather than simple bans, platform design improvements combined with education in self-regulation are needed to foster a culture of responsible use.
All attendees agreed that addressing children’s and adolescents’ SNS overdependence requires coordinated action: government policy and platform companies must act in tandem, supported by schools and families.
Kim Jong-chul said, “SNS overdependence is not an individual problem; it requires attention and action from all members of society. Considering that children and adolescents are rights-holders with basic freedoms such as freedom of expression and the right to information, it is important to create an environment where they can use social media safely.”
Most Commented