[The Chosun Ilbo, July 22 2008] Internet Portals Must Be Accountable

The Fair Trade Commission said Sunday that around half of the 110 terms of agreement offered by the country’s six major Internet portals, including Daum and Naver, contained clauses that unilaterally limit or violate the rights of users. The unfair terms of agreement cited by the FTC were simply ludicrous.

They authorized portals to freely reproduce and distribute the postings put up by users, while leaving portals free of any responsibilities when it comes to possible copyright violations. Portals were allowed to transmit to their affiliated companies personal information of users without obtaining their consent, while allowing themselves to send advertisements to the mobile phones of users. They also freed themselves from any responsibility should the IDs and passwords of their users be leaked by accident or if users suffered losses or disadvantages involving cyber money or through changes or cancellations in service. What’s worse, they required users to file for compensation only at the Seoul Central District Court and within three months of incurring the damage