Teenagers' lives disrupted by SNS

[Anchor]

Similar bills are being discussed in our country as well.

Measures such as preventing teenagers from joining SNS or limiting their usage time are mainly being mentioned.

Our reporter Kim Min-cheol has investigated whether these discussions will lead to the enactment of laws.

[Report]

This is a specialized counseling center for internet addiction.

These days, about 70% of the teenagers receiving counseling are reporting addiction to SNS platforms like YouTube or TikTok.

[Lim So-ra/Team Leader, Gangbuk Internet Addiction Prevention Counseling Center: "The ratio is increasing. In the case of short-form content, kids really say they can't stop. They tell me, 'I want to stop so much, but I just can't.'"]

Statistics also prove this phenomenon.

About one in three middle and high school students is experiencing disruptions in their daily lives due to SNS usage, and one in five feels anxiety and restlessness, according to survey results.

As cases of crimes such as gambling, drug use, and sexual offenses involving teenagers through SNS continue to emerge, the call for regulating teenagers' use of SNS is growing in the country.

Relevant bills are being discussed in the National Assembly, which include provisions to prohibit SNS membership for certain age groups, limit usage time, and require parental consent to access addictive content.

[Choi Jin-ung/Legislative Research Officer, National Assembly: "There is a need to accurately assess (what problems and damages exist) based on scientific evidence. It is also necessary to clearly define social media operators."]

However, enacting laws is not easy.

The Ministry of Science and ICT, the relevant authority, agrees with the intent of the law but believes that an outright ban is excessive, given that SNS also has positive functions.

Additionally, there is strong opposition from the industry, which argues that, similar to the 'Game Shutdown' system that was abolished after 10 years of implementation to prevent youth gaming addiction, regulations on youth SNS usage will also lack effectiveness.

KBS News, Kim Min-cheol.