[2021 National Audit] Kim Sang-hee "Increase in Child and Youth Sexual Crimes on KakaoTalk Open Chat App"

As Adult Verification Strengthens in Random Chat Apps
Balloon Effects... Moving to KakaoTalk Open Chat

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] As regulations such as adult verification tightened last year on random chat applications (apps), a balloon effect has appeared, leading to an increase in child and adolescent sex crimes through KakaoTalk Open Chat apps.

According to data submitted by the Korea Communications Standards Commission to Kim Sang-hee, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee, the number of corrective action requests for random chat apps, which was 760 cases in 2016, increased more than ninefold to 6,848 cases in 2020 over five years.

As of August last year, the number was only 1,071 cases, but considering that the 5th term of the Communications Standards Commission was not formed after the expiration of the 4th term in January, causing a review gap, the annual number of corrective action requests is expected to maintain an increasing trend.

Random chat apps are platforms that provide anonymous online conversations between specific users and are pointed out as a digital sex crime route such as child and adolescent prostitution. In September last year, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family designated them as harmful media for youth and mandated adult verification during membership registration.

However, as youth use of random chat apps was banned, the crime route is shifting to KakaoTalk Open Chat, which is unregulated. According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Deputy Speaker Kim, sex crimes such as producing and distributing child sexual exploitation materials, posting sexual insults, and obscene materials are occurring through Kakao Open Chat.

The biggest problem is that there are no regulations on platforms like KakaoTalk that provide both real-name and anonymous services. Currently, KakaoTalk Open Chat has functions such as saving and reporting, but these are post-event methods where victims prove damage after crimes have occurred, so the effect of pre-blocking and prevention is low.

Through the Korea Communications Commission, a request was made to Kakao for the number and types of reports on KakaoTalk Open Chat, but Kakao responded, “We do not manage or compile statistics separately.”

Deputy Speaker Kim Sang-hee said, “As random chat apps were designated as harmful media for youth, KakaoTalk Open Chat, which has no regulations, is becoming a gateway for crimes,” and added, “Institutional improvements are necessary to protect children and adolescents from the risk of crime.”

She also stated, “We will strongly urge platforms providing anonymous chat services like KakaoTalk to prepare anonymous chat management measures,” and “The National Assembly plans to actively consider revising related laws such as the Telecommunications Business Act.”

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