South Korea may block access to Tumblr
Standards commission says it is asking the company to address the 10 per cent of its content being pornographic
By Jung Min-ho
The South Korean government will review whether to block access to Tumblr, a blogging platform company based in New York City, if it continues to turn a blind eye to illegal content.
The Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), the country’s internet censorship body, said Tuesday that it will consider the option, though it will not take immediate action.
“About 10 per cent of its content is pornographic,” KCSC Vice Chairman Heo Wook told reporters. “It is also an important matter for Tumblr’s brand image. We will ask the company again to resolve the issue.”
“If you ask me whether it is appropriate to block access, it’s not there yet,” he said. “But we will consider blocking Tumblr if the problem becomes serious.”
His statement came following revelations that the firm rejected the KCSC’s request to regulate sexually explicit content on its platform.
“Tumblr is a U.S. company regulated by U.S. law. Tumblr has no physical presence in South Korea and is not subject to its jurisdiction or laws,” it responded to the KCSC.