South Korea's Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission said on Feb. 11 it will launch a fact-finding probe into mass account suspensions on Meta Platforms-run social media app Instagram that occurred in May and June last year, to determine whether there were violations of the Telecommunications Business Act.

Meta has stepped up monitoring since 2024 under strengthened youth protection policies to block child and youth sexual abuse and obscene videos. But many general accounts unrelated to youth protection were permanently suspended without specific reasons, causing extensive harm, it said.

The commission said it has conducted inspections to assess the scale and causes of the damage after becoming aware of the case, and has moved to a formal fact-finding probe after identifying signs of legal violations.

It also said it confirmed that many victims subscribed to the paid service Meta Verified to seek consultations on account restoration but did not receive proper support. The regulator plans to examine whether the pre-announced “rapid and enhanced support” was actually provided.

“If illegal acts by the operator are confirmed, we plan to take strict measures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, including imposing penalty surcharges and corrective orders, and we will continue to monitor acts that cause damage in telecommunications services closely linked to people's daily lives,” the commission said.