Meta enters talks with Seoul over restrictions on use of social media by children

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said Thursday it is in talks with the Korean government on measures to limit children's use of social media.

Philip Chua, Meta's Asia-Pacific general manager for product public policy, made the remarks during a "Screen Smart" roundtable in Seoul.

He said Meta has been discussing with the Korean government what measures would be appropriate to protect teenagers from online harm on social media platforms.

He mentioned measures such as limiting children's use of Facebook and Instagram to two hours a day and restricting their access to the platforms during late-night hours.

YouTube and TikTok are not participating in the global movement to tighten online safety measures for children, and Meta is considering reducing the daily limit to one hour per application, he said.

But Chua opposed blanket restrictions on social media, saying such measures could have unintended consequences. He added that any restrictions should allow parents to intervene when necessary.

A growing number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia, have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions for children's access to social media. Korea is among countries considering similar measures.

Yonhap