Representative Yang Hyang-ja Proposes Amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act to Eradicate Malicious and Illegal BJs

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A bill to eradicate illegal and substandard internet personal broadcasts has been proposed.

Yang Hyang-ja, a member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea·Gwangju Seo-gu Eul), announced on the 20th that she has taken the lead in proposing the "Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc." (hereinafter referred to as the Information and Communications Network Act) to eradicate illegal and substandard BJs (Broadcasting Jockeys).

This amendment includes provisions that regulate information and communications service providers (business operators) who mediate illegal information distributed through internet personal broadcasts, preventing those who distribute illegal information from using the service any longer.

"Internet personal broadcasts" refer to video content produced featuring one or multiple hosts appearing through an information and communications network.

Looking at the "Status of Internet Personal Broadcast Reviews and Correction Requests over the Past Five Years" received by Assemblywoman Yang from the Korea Communications Standards Commission, reviews and correction requests related to obscenity and sexual content were the most frequent, totaling 1,112 cases.

According to the Information and Communications Network Act, "illegal information" includes cases such as producing, selling, or distributing obscene materials related to children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities; acts intended for criminal purposes or instigation and aiding; and providing harmful media under the Youth Protection Act.

However, under current law, there is no explicit provision restricting BJs who distribute illegal information from using the relevant information and communications services, and business operators lack legal grounds to sanction them. Therefore, there have been many criticisms that it is difficult to eradicate illegal information distributed through internet personal broadcasts.

Yang said, "Videos exploiting the sexuality of children, adolescents, and women with disabilities or live broadcasts of criminal situations on internet personal broadcasts have become a significant social problem," and explained, "This amendment is a strict law that prohibits the use of the relevant information and communications services such as YouTube, Facebook, and AfreecaTV if illegal information is distributed."

She added, "Through this amendment, by regulating illegal and substandard BJs so that they can no longer engage in profit-making activities using information and communications networks, it will contribute to creating a healthier society," emphasizing, "While government-led sanctions have been limited so far, the obligations and roles of information and communications service providers (business operators) will be further strengthened, and self-inspections and the expulsion of illegal and substandard BJs are expected to be more actively carried out."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.