2000년 이후 지난 17년 동안 포털의 위상은 크게 변화하였다. 네이버와 카카오를 중심으로 매출액이 크게 증가하였고, 포털은 뉴스의 이용을 매개하는 주요 매체로 성장하였으며 여론 형성 과정에 영향력을 행사하는 언론 매체로 자리 잡았다. 본 연구에서는 포털의 위상 변화와 더불어 등장한 여러 이슈 중 포털의 언론 기능과 시장 지배적 지위, 검색 중립성에 관한 논란에 대해 기존 문헌 검토를 통해 논의하였다. 이를 토대로 포털은 언론 미디어에 해당하고, 네이버와 카카오 등 일부 포털은 인터넷 시장에서 시장지배력을 가지며, 검색 중립성의 책무를 지닌다는 결론을 도출하였다. 또한 2003년 노무현 정부 출범 이후 포털 정책이 어떻게 변화되어 왔는지 법과 제도의 변화를 중심으로 분석하고, 이에 대응하여 포털이 도입한 자율 규제 제도에 대해서도 함께 살펴보았다. 분석 결과 노무현 정부 이후 이명박 정부, 박근혜 정부에 이르는 과정에서 포털의 성장과 더불어 포털에 대한 규제가 강화되는 경향을 보였다. 이에 대응하여 포털은 다양한 방식의 자율 규제를 시도함으로써 법·행정적인 규제의 제도화를 피하면서, 선제적으로 공적 책무를 수행하겠다는 의지를 지속적으로 보여줬다. 연구 결과를 토대로 포털이 수행해야 할 공적 책무의 방향에 대해 논의하고, 포털의 자율 규제 모델로서 정부·규제기구와 협력하는 공동 자율 규제 시스템을 제안하였다.
Over the last 17 years since 2000, the status of Internet portal companies has changed dramatically. The sales of Naver and Cacao increased greatly while portals grew to be a main medium for mediating the use of news and became one of the journalism media influencing the formation of public opinion. Among various controversial issues that emerged with the change of portal environment, this study focused on the controversy regarding the role of journalism, market dominance of portals and Search Neutrality by literature review. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that portals function as journalism media and some portals such as Naver and Cacao hold market dominance in internet market. In addition, this study analyzed the change of the portal policy since the launch of the Roh Moo‐hyun Government in 2003 by examining the change of the law and the institution, and also reviewed the self‐regulation system introduced in response by the portals. The analysis revealed that the regulations on portals tended to be strengthened along with the growth of portals in the process from the Roh Moo‐hyun Government to the Lee Myung‐bak Government and the Park Geun‐hye Government. Portals coped with the regulations by continuously demonstrating their willingness to perform public accountability preemptively by attempting various self‐regulations while avoiding the institutionalization of legal and administrative regulations. In conclusion, this study discussed the direction of the public accountability to be performed by the portals and proposed a co‐regulation system which cooperates with the government and the regulatory organization as a self‐regulation model for the portals.
Over the last 17 years since 2000, the status of Internet portal companies has changed dramatically. The sales of Naver and Cacao increased greatly while portals grew to be a main medium for mediating the use of news and became one of the journalism media influencing the formation of public opinion. Among various controversial issues that emerged with the change of portal environment, this study focused on the controversy regarding the role of journalism, market dominance of portals and Search Neutrality by literature review. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that portals function as journalism media and some portals such as Naver and Cacao hold market dominance in internet market. In addition, this study analyzed the change of the portal policy since the launch of the Roh Moo‐hyun Government in 2003 by examining the change of the law and the institution, and also reviewed the self‐regulation system introduced in response by the portals. The analysis revealed that the regulations on portals tended to be strengthened along with the growth of portals in the process from the Roh Moo‐hyun Government to the Lee Myung‐bak Government and the Park Geun‐hye Government. Portals coped with the regulations by continuously demonstrating their willingness to perform public accountability preemptively by attempting various self‐regulations while avoiding the institutionalization of legal and administrative regulations. In conclusion, this study discussed the direction of the public accountability to be performed by the portals and proposed a co‐regulation system which cooperates with the government and the regulatory organization as a self‐regulation model for the portals.
