The number of corrective orders issued for pornographic and prostitution-related content on random chat applications reached an all-time high in 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of corrective orders issued for pornographic and prostitution-related content on random chat applications reached an all-time high in 2024, according to newly released government data.
Representative Han Min-soo of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information Broadcasting and Communications Committee, reported on January 8 that the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) issued 17,377 corrective orders for such content last year, marking the highest number ever recorded.
This represents a nearly five-fold increase from 3,297 cases in 2019. While the number decreased slightly from 6,848 in 2020 to 6,653 in 2021, it has shown an upward trend since then, with 9,313 cases in 2022 and 14,958 cases in 2023.
The top five apps receiving corrective orders last year were ZulTalk (1,694 cases), Simting (945 cases), YoungTalk (927 cases), Open Chat (921 cases), and Secret Meeting (unofficial translation, 893 cases). These five apps accounted for approximately one-third of all corrective orders issued.
Global social media platforms also saw significant changes in content violations. X (formerly Twitter) received 16,616 corrective orders for prostitution-related content in 2024, an increase of 11,228 cases from the previous year, while orders for pornographic content decreased by 659 to 9,707 cases.
Facebook saw a slight decrease in pornographic content violations from 89 to 72 cases, but prostitution-related violations increased by 869 to 1,207 cases. Instagram and Tumblr showed opposite trends: Instagram’s pornographic content violations increased by 69 to 185 cases, while prostitution-related violations decreased by 276 to 2,559 cases. Tumblr saw pornographic content violations increase by 2,595 to 2,887 cases, while prostitution-related violations decreased by 644 to 1,217 cases.
TikTok received six corrective orders for pornographic content in 2024, compared to two prostitution-related violations in the previous year.
While random chat apps are designed to facilitate communication among diverse users regardless of age or topic, the surge in illicit content has led to increasing calls for stronger regulation.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
