Snowballing Internet Service Fees Causing Problems for Parents

Ñ Major problems

Avatars are provided for free. But clothes and accessories for avatars cost from 500 won to 7000 won. Contents providers encourage people to buy more clothes and accessories by launching contests for the most beautiful avatars.

Most Internet companies use mobile phones, ARS service, credit cards or their telephones to pay for online services such as avatars, games, and music.

The telephone however, is what most kids use when they pay for online services. Payment service using 060 number settles payment by children without asking for permission by their parents. The money is charged on the next month`s telephone bill under the category of `money for information usage.` This 060 service is widely used as children and contents providers do not need parental permission. Some kids also use the service oblivious of these hidden charges.

"I was charged 195,000 won for information usage on my telephone bill in May. This is because my daughter used avatars and music services through the internet. She said she did it, but she still does not understand why she has to pay money for the service," said an angry Mr. Roh in Anyang, blasting internet companies who make money by exploiting naive kids.

Ñ Urgent need for change in legal framework

Some big portal sites set limits for the amount of money kids under 14 can pay to the websites monthly. But many others have no such limits. Some sites don`t even have telephone numbers or e-mail addresses anywhere on their sites to avoid complaints from angry parents.

"I dialed the 114 telephone service to find out the number of the company "Bugsmusic" which my daughter frequently uses. I was surprised however to hear that the telephone operator couldn`t give out the number to about 5 other people who asked the same question because it was unlisted," said Jeong, a housewife.

Information and communication laws and the protection of personal information stipulate that children under the age of 14 need parental permission to become members of Internet sites. Few content providers however abide by the law.

Kim, who once ran fee-based contents sites, said that finding children among their members was very difficult as payment settlement occurred hundreds of thousands of times every day. Above all, this was not helpful at all to the company`s bottom line, said Kim.

Experts say that an electronic authorization system should be adopted which requires parents` permission for children`s payment online. A legal framework should be put in place to punish internet companies that do not have their e-mail address or telephone number posted on their sites.

shchung@donga.com bibulus@donga.com