Daum Removes Hundreds of Web Postings

Daum Communications, which runs the popular Web portal “Daum,” temporarily removed hundreds of postings published on one of its online communities called the “People’s Campaign for Consumer Rights for Correct Media Coverage.” The postings contained the contact numbers of companies, which run ads in major newspapers, and threats against those companies.

Daum said Tuesday that it temporarily took down hundreds of postings on the community at the request of the Chosun Daily.

The Internet company explained that it deleted the postings because the Chosun Daily requested it to do so citing that the postings, urging readers to call companies running ads in the Chosun Daily to persuade them to drop the ads, were disrupting its business.

Prior to that, the Web portal deleted dozens of postings at the request of the Dong-A Ilbo. The managers of the online community also voluntarily blocked access to two of its bulletins related to the ad issue on June 25.

Experts say that Daum took such immediate action on the requests from major newspapers because it can be waived from liability for damaging the business of the papers by doing so, especially considering that deliberation by the Korea Communications Commission is scheduled for July 1.

However, Daum rejected the Dong-A Ilbo’s request to close down the online community or deny membership of particular users, saying, “As an online service provider, we just provide a platform. We maintain third-party perspectives for individual incidents and do not have any right or status to judge legal disputes.”

nex@donga.com