Unable to Block Live Drug and Crime Broadcasts... 'SNS Live' Broadcasting Law Blind Spots

"Broadcasting Law Regulation Difficult and Real-Time Blocking Impossible"
Time to Discuss Regulatory Measures Needed

There are growing calls for measures to regulate live videos on social networking services (SNS) that broadcast drug use, crimes, and incidents in real time. Concerns have been raised that viewers who come across such videos immediately after the events may suffer psychological trauma or imitate the behavior, leading to negative effects.

On the 16th, a teenage girl, A, in her teens, made an extreme choice while streaming an Instagram live video from the rooftop of a high-rise building on Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. At the time, dozens of viewers were watching the scene, and after A's jump, the video was reportedly circulated through online communities.

There are also cases where crime scenes are broadcasted intact. On the 17th of last month, Jeon Woo-won, the grandson of former President Jeon Du-hwan, revealed himself taking what appeared to be drugs during a YouTube live broadcast. During the broadcast, he stated, "I will confess while on drugs. If I take drugs on the broadcast like this, I will be tested and serve my sentence," expressing his intention to surrender.

Additionally, in January at a motel in Daegu, middle school students live-streamed a scene where they stripped a classmate and sexually harassed them. The video showed two third-year middle school students, including B, verbally abusing the victim, slapping them, and forcing sexual acts. At the time, about 30 viewers were connected to the live video.

[Image source=Pixabay]

Although crimes and incidents can be broadcast live through SNS live streams, regulation is practically difficult. Unlike broadcasts regulated under the Broadcasting Act, SNS live streams have no prior regulatory measures.

Profiler Bae Sang-hoon pointed out, "Live broadcasts on platforms like YouTube and Instagram are value-added communication services and are not subject to the Broadcasting Act." On the 20th, during Yonhap News TV's 'News Scene,' he explained, "Even if regulation is possible, immediate blocking is not feasible. Blocking could lead to liability for damages, and there are unresolved issues about which regions or IPs to block." This means that aside from reporting, viewers have no measures to take when encountering crimes or incidents through live videos.

The problem is that videos can continue to circulate even after the broadcast ends. As videos continue to spread, the number of viewers exposed increases, potentially leading to more people suffering severe psychological trauma and aftereffects. During the October 29 Itaewon disaster, many people reported trauma as sensational footage of the scene was shared on SNS.

There is also a risk of imitation of extreme choices or crime scenes. The 'Werther effect' is a representative example, where individuals attempt suicide by identifying with celebrities or people they respect or admire who have made extreme choices.

Profiler Bae emphasized the need for measures to regulate live broadcasts domestically, stating, "In countries like Japan and France, systems are being discussed that require broadcasters and value-added service providers to immediately block problematic videos."

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