Bill to Ban ‘Hijack Ads’ Targets Forced Moves to Apps and Shopping Pages

A bill is being pushed to regulate so-called “hijack ads,” which force users to move to a specific app or shopping mall page while browsing the web even when they have not clicked anything. According to the National Assembly on May 15, Rep. Cho In-chul of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, introduced a partial revision to the Telecommunications Business Act. The current law bars telecommunications service providers, including carriers and platforms, from offering services differently from their terms of use or in ways that seriously harm users’ interests. However, calls have continued for clearer rules on dark patterns, including forced screen changes during web or app use, making ads hard to delete, and distorting choices during sign-up or cancellation. The revision aims to strengthen user protection by defining unwanted screen transitions or ad exposure as prohibited conduct. Source: rss.donga.com