Meta’s app changes should apply globally: S. Korean regulator

By the Editorial Team · Friday, August 28, 2026

South Korea’s media regulator urged Meta to apply its planned changes to reduce addictive features on social media for young users worldwide, following the company’s $17 billion settlement in the U.S. over youth addiction claims. This push supports South Korea’s legislative efforts to enforce stricter online protections for minors amid growing concerns about social media’s impact on children’s mental health.

South Korea’s media regulator has called for global application of proposed changes by Meta aimed at reducing potentially addictive features on its platforms for young users. The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) made the statement on August 27, amid growing efforts within the country to strengthen regulations governing social media use by minors.

Meta recently agreed to a landmark settlement in the United States, which will require the company to pay up to $17 billion and implement a series of modifications to Facebook and Instagram. These measures were prompted by lawsuits from several U.S. states, which accused Meta of designing products that contribute to youth addiction and negatively impact mental health.

Among the changes Meta plans to introduce are limits on usage time, restrictions on notifications, enhanced age verification, options for non-algorithmic feeds, and hiding engagement metrics such as "likes" for younger users. The KMCC emphasized that several of these features—particularly those related to algorithm-driven content recommendations, visibility of engagement statistics, and push notifications intended to re-engage users—should ideally be extended to youth users globally.

The commission stated that social media companies have a responsibility to better protect children and teenagers, especially in creating safer digital environments for Korean youth. This stance aligns with seven bills currently under consideration by the South Korean Parliament, all aimed at improving online protections for minors.

South Korea has been increasingly attentive to issues of excessive screen time and the influence of social media algorithms in prolonging user engagement among young people. While there is broad support for enhanced safeguards, proposed restrictions on minors' social media use have also faced some criticism, reflecting an ongoing global debate over balancing user protection and platform regulation.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.