Meta announced it will discuss teen social media usage restrictions with the South Korean government. Following a settlement in the United States that limits Facebook and Instagram usage for users under 18 to two hours per day, the company said it will consult with South Korean authorities on what level of regulation is appropriate. However, Meta made clear its opposition to Australia-style blanket bans that block teen SNS access entirely, arguing such measures could encourage workarounds and migration to less-regulated platforms.
Philip Chua, Meta’s Director of Asia-Pacific Policy, said at the “Screen Smart Roundtable” held at Meta Korea in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 10th that the company plans to continue discussions with the government, stating it will “examine what approach would be appropriate for South Korea” regarding the potential domestic adoption of the U.S. settlement terms.
U.S. Settlement and Global Regulatory Expansion
Meta settled lawsuits with U.S. state governments last month over teen SNS addiction concerns for approximately $16.7 billion. The settlement terms include limiting combined Facebook and Instagram usage for users under 18 to two hours per day, as well as restricting nighttime app usage and notifications during school hours.
Moves to fundamentally block teen SNS access are also spreading. Australia has been implementing a world-first system since December last year that prohibits teens under 16 from holding accounts on major SNS platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X. These platforms must block new sign-ups by users under 16 and prevent existing accounts from being maintained.
Director Chua pointed out several clear challenges with such blanket bans. “When you look at blanket bans, there are some clear challenges,” he said. “Teens may circumvent the ban or migrate to smaller, less-regulated platforms where they could end up in less safe environments.”
He cited South Korea’s game shutdown system as an example. “South Korea implemented a game ban measure in 2011, but learned that better ways forward needed to be found,” he said. “We need laws and regulations that acknowledge young people want to be online while also wanting to be safe.”
OS-Level Age Verification Proposal
Instead of blanket bans on individual SNS platforms, Meta proposed identifying user ages at the operating system and app store level, with each app then providing an appropriate user environment based on that information. The rationale is that since teens use multiple apps simultaneously, measures by individual companies alone have limitations.
Director Chua explained that OS providers such as Apple and Android need to identify age information, and based on that, each app should provide age-appropriate services. This is effectively an argument that an ecosystem-level approach is more effective than platform-by-platform regulation.
Meta currently applies teen account settings by default on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger in South Korea, including private accounts, message recipient restrictions, daily 60-minute usage notifications, and a restricted mode that limits notifications from 10 PM to 7 AM. Parents can set separate app usage times for their children or block specific time periods through the Family Center.
Meta is also extending its teen account framework to its SNS platform Threads. The domestic rollout is scheduled to be completed by the 18th, after which teen accounts will operate across all of Meta’s major services including Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and Threads.
Meta’s teen account implementation status and schedule by service in South Korea is as follows:
| Service | Teen Account Status | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Private account, message restrictions, daily 60-minute usage notification, nighttime notification limits | |
| Active | Private account, message restrictions, daily 60-minute usage notification, nighttime notification limits | |
| Messenger | Active | Message restrictions, daily 60-minute usage notification, nighttime notification limits |
| Threads | Scheduled for completion by the 18th | Extended teen account framework |
Note: Based on Meta’s stated South Korea implementation standards; parents can separately set app usage times and blocked time periods for their children through the Family Center.
A Turning Point in Regulatory Approach
Meta’s announcement suggests the approach to teen SNS regulation may shift from blanket bans to age-based tailored protection. With Australia’s blanket ban model exposing workaround access and regulatory blind spot issues from its early implementation, Meta’s intent appears to be proposing a compromise regulatory model through consultations with the South Korean government.
Meta’s reference to South Korea’s game shutdown system is particularly noteworthy. The game shutdown system, introduced in 2011, blocked teens under 16 from accessing online games during late-night hours, but was effectively abolished in 2021 amid controversy over its effectiveness. Meta is using this case to argue that technical and institutional safeguards are more effective than legal mandates.
However, no specific consultation schedule with the government or agreed-upon regulatory levels have emerged yet. Meta’s proposed OS-level age verification approach also requires cooperation from platform operators such as Apple and Google, suggesting substantial discussion will be needed before actual implementation.
