Meta in talks with Seoul on social media restrictions for children

Meta Platforms is reportedly engaged in discussions with the South Korean government regarding potential restrictions on children's usage of social media, according to Philip Chua, the Asia-Pacific general manager for product public policy at Meta. During a Screen Smart roundtable in Seoul, Chua highlighted the company's ongoing conversations with the government to identify appropriate measures aimed at safeguarding teenagers from online threats on social media platforms.

He emphasized that Meta is aware of the multitude of apps used by teenagers and acknowledged that no single entity can offer a comprehensive solution. Instead, Chua stressed the necessity of addressing youth safety across the industry, advocating for uniform, age-appropriate standards applicable throughout the entire app ecosystem.

Chua mentioned potential measures such as capping children's use of Facebook and Instagram at two hours per day and limiting their access during late-night hours. He noted that Meta has already taken steps by introducing Teen Accounts and implementing robust safety protections by default, with the rollout completed for teenagers in Korea. The company plans to further refine these protections and collaborate with policymakers.