Only advertisers at fault? KakaoTalk’s 'brand message' spam reports surge, but no fines
TECHWORLD ·
✦ AI Summary
Spam complaints related to KakaoTalk brand messages totaled 94,947 from January to July this year.
Fines for violations of the Network Act related to brand messages stood at 2 cases in 2023 and 22 this year.
The fines were imposed only on advertisers, and Kakao received 0.
Spam complaints and legal violations tied to KakaoTalk brand messages are rising, but while advertisers have been fined, Kakao has not faced any separate penalties. The need to examine platform-level systems for managing consent to receive ads, in addition to advertisers, has been raised. This was confirmed based on materials made public on the 20th.
Rep. Lee Hoon-ki of the Democratic Party of Korea received data from the Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). According to the data, spam complaints related to KakaoTalk brand messages totaled 94,947 from January to July this year.
KakaoTalk brand message is a service launched in June. Under the service, advertisers send personalized advertising messages through KakaoTalk to users who have consented to receive promotional information. Previously, messages could be sent to KakaoTalk Channel friends, and they can also be sent to users who are not Channel friends if certain requirements are met.
Spam complaints related to the brand message service have surged. Since the service launched, 37,169 spam complaints were filed through December last year, and 94,947 were filed from January to July this year. The number of complaints from January to July this year increased 155.4% from a year earlier.
Fines for legal violations in the process of sending promotional information through brand messages have also increased. Based on materials submitted to the Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission, fines imposed for violations of the Network Act related to brand messages stood at 2 cases in 2023 and 22 cases this year.
Of this year's fine cases, 18 were related to failing to obtain separate consent by transmission medium for receiving ads. Failing to obtain separate consent by transmission medium means obtaining consent for promotional information without dividing the media, such as text messages and KakaoTalk.
Brand message fines were imposed only on advertisers. There were 0 fines issued against Kakao, which operates the brand message service. As a result, questions have been raised about the need to examine how consent to receive and refuse ads is designed and managed by the platform operator.
Rep. Lee said there were 22 fines this year related to KakaoTalk brand messages, and that 18 of the 22 were tied to failing to obtain separate consent by transmission medium. He also said advertisers were fined for violating consent-to-receive rules, but Kakao, the provider and operator of the ad service, was not fined even once.
Rep. Lee said that, separate from advertisers' responsibility for violations, it is necessary to examine whether Kakao secured prior consent to receive brand messages. He also said the company should be reviewed on whether it gives customers who want only KakaoTalk's core functions the right to refuse all ads, as well as on the platform-level system for managing consent to receive ads. He added that not only advertisers' responsibilities, but also the platform's design and management of ad transmission consent and refusal structures, should be examined, and that the Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission's review of the platform's role and responsibilities should also be assessed.
Source: TECHWORLD · Kim Hye-jin
Original: https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=407164
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Source: TECHWORLD
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