Proactive State Involvement and Institutional Layering in Social Media Regulation: The Case of South Korea

ABSTRACT Drawing on insights from over 12 years of direct involvement in both state and industry regulation, this article examines whether extensive state involvement in social media regulation, particularly concerning disinformation, is always advisable. The South Korean case provides valuable lessons for other democracies, demonstrating how state‐led institutions regulating defamation and social disorder can restrict political speech. By demonstrating the critical flaws of both state‐driven and market‐based regulation, the study underscores the necessity of transcending existing models and proposes an independent regulatory mechanism to prevent the abuse of power over political speech. Through the lens of historical institutionalism, the study argues that proactive state intervention has led to the emergence of another regulatory body, resulting in institutional layering.