Cleaning Up the Internet

‘Let’s save the Internet from the cyber contamination!’

The Donga Ilbo has begun the ‘Healthy Internet’ campaign to reduce the adverse effects of the Internet in time for its 83rd Anniversary.

Korea is one of greatest digital powers in the world; a place where most people use the Internet. But it is also one of the most vulnerable countries in terms of spam mail and cyber violence. Therefore, many people have voiced their opinions that cleanup of the Internet environment is necessary to allow for the internet to serve its original purpose.

Among the participants of the campaign are 4 institutes including the Parent’s Union on the Net and 15 corporations including Daum Communication and NHN, as well as some non-government organizations (NGOs) including the Consortium on Development Studies (CODS).

In the same line, the Information Communication Ethics Committee recently started ‘Internet 119’ in order to deal more quickly with reports on unhealthy information dispersal on the Internet and currently operates ‘Cyber Patrols’ which consist of volunteers for more stringent monitoring of the web.

Corporations are also making aggressive efforts to counter the adverse effects of internet use. A total of 5 large portal companies including NHN decided to prevent unregulated spam mail by establishing its ‘Internet Forum’. Internet companies including KT and Hanaro also introduced anti-harmful Internet site services which prevent children from being able to access harmful sites without additional software installed.

The Parent’s Union on the Net was established to identify harmful sites aimed at children by connecting content providers, the government and non-governmental organizations, and judicial organizations through a hotline.

CODS, an NGO consisting of academics agreed to establish the ‘Headquarters for Healthy Internet Culture’ along with the Donga Ilbo to discuss measures in creating an Internet environment healthy for all users.

Tae-Han Kim freewill@donga.com