South Korea's new law gives platforms power to judge false information, raising concerns

South Korea's revised Information and Communications Network Act now requires online platforms to judge whether content is false or manipulated, a role previously held by courts. This gives private companies power to assess posters' intent and purpose. The Korea Internet Self-governance Organization (KISO) held a briefing on Sept. 2 to address review difficulties. Of 27 cases reviewed, 23 failed to meet legal requirements, which demand proof of knowledge, harmful purpose, and rights infringement. Determining a poster's intent proved the hardest challenge. KISO experts warned that ambiguous legal concepts could chill free expression and grant platforms excessive power. They emphasized applying the definition narrowly to prevent platforms from making judicial judgments through arbitrary content removal.