President Lee to Live Viewers: "Press 1 if You Support Blocking SNS for Those 16 and Under"... Another Impromptu Survey

Real-Time Survey Conducted via Online Comments During Work Report

Lee Acknowledges "Difficult Time for Teen Participation," Suggests "Try Again on a Weekend"

"Recognizing Serious Side Effects... Will Consider Further Discussion in the Future

On July 16, President Lee Jae-myung conducted an impromptu poll on restricting access to social media (SNS) for individuals aged 16 and younger, targeting viewers of the live broadcast of the government work report in relation to the issue of excessive social media use among adolescents.

President Lee Jae-myung is asking questions to the heads of attended institutions during the ministry work report held at the Blue House State Guesthouse on July 16, 2026.
Photo by Blue House Press Photographers Group, Yonhap News Agency

At the government work report of the Broadcasting Media and Communications Committee held at the Blue House State Guesthouse that day, President Lee mentioned the efforts in certain countries to restrict youth access to social media. He proposed, "If you agree that we should block SNS access for those aged 16 and younger, press 1. If you disagree, press 2."

As a result, a real-time poll was conducted in the online comment section during the live broadcast of the work report. Later, an official from the Ministry of Science and ICT reported the results, stating, "Option 1, in favor of SNS restrictions, has an overwhelming majority." However, when informed that it was a time of day when it would be difficult for adolescents to participate, President Lee responded, "That's a valid point," and added, "I think we should try this again later, perhaps on the weekend."

Earlier, Kim Jongcheol, Chairperson of the Broadcasting Media and Communications Committee, described the issue of excessive adolescent SNS use as a "global phenomenon" and argued that, rather than imposing blanket restrictions, there needs to be social debate and differentiated approaches by age and stage. The committee explained that it is considering limiting SNS registration for those under 14, and restricting exposure to addictive design features and recommendation algorithms that can lead to overindulgence for users aged 14 to 19. The committee also announced plans to involve adolescents directly in the policy design process, given that they are both the subjects of protection and holders of rights.

In response, President Lee cited cases abroad where platform operators have been held civically liable for algorithms that induce excessive use and commented, "The level of public consensus will be important." Concluding the work report, he remarked on the online poll results, saying, "Generally speaking, it seems that the perception is that the side effects of SNS use among those aged 16 or under, or below a certain age, are considered very serious," and added, "This is an issue we should discuss at some point in the future."

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