Naver and Kakao Must Transparently Disclose Search and Recommendation Criteria

From now on, internet search service providers such as Naver and Kakao must voluntarily and transparently disclose the key variables used to determine the order of search exposure and recommendation criteria. The disclosure should be made in locations easily accessible to users, such as search and recommendation results and customer centers.

The private platform self-regulatory organization announced the "Self-Regulatory Principles for Enhancing Transparency of Search and Recommendation Services," based on these contents. The principles aim to enhance the transparency and reliability of internet search and recommendation services to promote users' rights and interests.

Internet search providers must disclose explanations about the key variables that constitute the determination of search exposure order and recommendation criteria using terms that users can easily understand. However, disclosure is not required if it causes harm to users by third parties or infringes on the business secrets of the providers.

Providers shall cooperate when the private platform self-regulatory organization's Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) division (later the permanent platform self-regulatory organization) inspects compliance with the self-regulatory principles. Necessary matters regarding the inspection of compliance will be separately determined. Providers who receive recommendations for correction based on the inspection results must verify the related matters and inform the Data and AI division of the private platform self-regulatory organization of the improvements and actions taken.

Providers, experts, stakeholders, and others may propose improvements to the principles if additional discussions on methods to enhance transparency are needed or if improvement plans considering the industry- or field-specific characteristics of search and recommendation services are required. The Data and AI division of the private platform self-regulatory organization may take measures such as improvements if it recognizes the need to change the content of the self-regulatory principles.

Meanwhile, the "private platform self-regulatory organization" is a discussion body formed to establish self-regulatory measures in the platform market by the private sector itself, launched on August 19 last year. It consists of four divisions: Gap-Eul, Consumer/User, Data/AI, and Innovation Sharing/Governance, each discussing self-regulatory measures by division.