DC Inside bans minors from depression forum

A local online forum platform that been embroiled in series of crimes involving minors, has imposed a ban on underage users from writing in a forum about depression.

DC Inside said Wednesday that underage users have been restricted from writing posts or replies on its "Depression Gallery," as part of the protection policy focused on minors recommended by the Korea Communications Commission. Investigative authorities and operators of the website will monitor the posts and replies on the forum to weed out potentially harmful content for children and teenagers.

The state-run communications watchdog recently issued a warning on the website, which operates themed pages called "galleries."

The latest measure follows a string of reports related to crimes and even deaths concerning the underage users of the Depression Gallery. In August, it was reported that a number of female teenage users of the depression page were subject to sexual exploitation by adults whom they gotten acquainted with through the page.

Last year, a Seoul high school student who had been active on the forum livestreamed herself taking her own life. She had been with a man in his 20s whom she had met via a post on the forum asking for someone to take her life with. He was later charged with assisting suicide and violating the Act on the Prevention of Suicide.

DC Inside allows anyone to write posts and hold discussions via replies without having to sign in, which has led to incidents of vulnerable teens going through a mental health crisis turning to the forum for help, but instead of getting the mental health support they need, being abused, exploited or taking their own lives.

DC Inside vowed to create separate galleries on the website dedicated solely to information about depression, and another forum for those who have overcome it. But it is unclear how effective the new measures will be.

During this year's audit by the National Assembly, Rep. Kim Hyun of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea requested a governmental measure to protect minors using such websites. "In addition to (users) verifying themselves as adults, there need to be measures that can enforce substantial change on the Depression Gallery. The KCC should work with the Gender Equality and Family Ministry and the Health Ministry to come up with protective measures for teenagers online," she said.

* If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s helpline at 109, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.