[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, August 21 – A recent survey has found that Kakao’s advertising message service is causing significant discomfort for consumers.
According to the Seoul Citizens’ Coalition for Consumer Rights (SCCCR), which released the findings on August 21, Kakao’s “Brand Message” service – launched in May as an advertising platform for businesses – has raised concerns among users. Unlike traditional SMS ads, Brand Messages are delivered through KakaoTalk channels and can include images, videos, coupons, and purchase links.
The survey revealed that 70% of respondents were unable to distinguish between Kakao’s Brand Messages and “AlimTalk,” the latter being a service intended for essential transaction notifications such as payment confirmations and delivery updates. This lack of differentiation, SCCCR noted, creates confusion between advertising and informational content.
In addition, 80% of respondents expressed negative perceptions of Kakao expanding Brand Message distribution, even to users who had previously consented to receiving corporate information. The organization highlighted that such prior consent cannot be regarded as explicit approval for broader advertising use.
Concerns over hidden costs also emerged. Roughly 75.4% of respondents were unaware that receiving such messages could consume mobile data, raising fears of unexpected charges for users in less favorable network environments.
Further, 72.5% of consumers reported experiencing “fatigue” from the volume of corporate messages received via Kakao, while 65% said a “bulk opt-out function” to reject messages from multiple companies at once was necessary.
The survey also indicated overwhelming support for stronger oversight: 95.9% of respondents said regulatory management of advertising messages is needed, with 73.6% describing it as “absolutely essential.”
Based on the findings, SCCCR called on both the government and Kakao to take immediate steps, including:
- Redefining the criteria for distinguishing advertising from informational messages,
- Conducting an investigation into potential infringements of consumer rights, and
- Suspending current advertising practices while implementing corrective measures.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
