South Korea investigates Telegram over online sex crimes

"Like France, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has launched an internal investigation into Telegram, on charges of facilitating this crime (deepfake pornographic videos )," Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Bureau of Investigation, said on September 2.

South Korean police have launched a preliminary investigation into Telegram on suspicion that the platform facilitated deepfake sex crimes. Photo: Reuters

The opening of the investigation comes amid South Korea's efforts to combat deepfake pornography targeting young women that is spreading online in Telegram chat groups.

The decision would also go further than earlier comments by National Policy Agency commissioner Cho Ji-ho, who said his agency was considering whether to investigate secure messaging apps for aiding crime.

Last week, South Korean authorities pledged to crack down on deepfake porn, a move that coincided with a French investigation into Telegram CEO Pavel Durov for allegedly facilitating organized crime on the platform. The company said it was actively censoring harmful content on the platform, including illegal pornography.

According to Security Hero's 2023 global deepfake report, South Korea is the country most targeted by deepfake pornography, with singers and actors from the country accounting for 53% of individuals featured in deepfakes.

South Korean police said the number of deepfake sex crimes handled this year has increased to 297 from 156 in 2021. Most of the victims and perpetrators are teenagers.

In addition to urging social media companies to cooperate more actively in removing and blocking such content, the South Korean communications regulator has asked French authorities for regular cooperation on issues related to Telegram.

Separately, the South Korean government said on August 30 that it will push for stricter laws to make buying or viewing pornographic deepfake videos a crime.

Hoai Phuong (according to Yonhap, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/han-quoc-dieu-tra-telegram-ve-toi-pham-tinh-duc-truc-tuyen-post310312.html