As artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms transform the consumer landscape, GS Retail has launched a content contest to raise awareness about consumer rights in the digital age.
On June 19, GS Retail held the awards ceremony for the '2026 Consumer Education Content Contest' at the Seoul Public Activity Support Center. The contest was sponsored by the Fair Trade Commission and the Korea Consumer Agency, with the Korea Consumer Education Support Center overseeing the event.
Now in its fifth year, the contest focused on the theme 'Consumer Rights Redefined in the Age of Algorithms.' As online platforms and AI services become commonplace, the contest aimed to address issues such as information bias, targeted advertising, and the use of personal data, while promoting consumers' rights to information and choice.
A total of 523 college and graduate students from across the country participated, submitting 209 works, including 81 video entries and 128 card news pieces. The organizers evaluated creativity, communication effectiveness, and relevance to the theme, ultimately selecting 14 award-winning pieces. Winners received a total of 10 million won in prize money and certificates.
The grand prize (Fair Trade Commission Chairman's Award) went to Min So-eun and Jo Seo-yoon for their piece titled 'Did One Search Lead to Being Overrun by Recommendation Algorithms?' This work effectively illustrated the impact of online platform recommendation systems on consumer choices through relatable examples and suggested ways for users to control their information.
The excellence awards (Korea Consumer Agency Chairman's Award and GS Retail Home Shopping BU Head's Award) were given to two works: 'Judgment: In the Age of Algorithms, Who Holds the Power of Choice?' which depicted the 'filter bubble' phenomenon from the perspective of job seekers, and 'Hansel and Cookies: Preventing Dark Patterns,' which explained potential issues in the consent process for data collection through a fairy tale format.
The award-winning works will be used as consumer education materials and will be made available to the public through online channels such as YouTube.
Heo Nam-jun, head of GS Retail's Business Support Division, stated, "As the impact of AI technology on the consumer environment grows, it is crucial to help consumers understand and exercise their rights. We will continue our efforts to promote consumer rights and foster a healthy digital consumption culture."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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