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South Korea Pledges Stricter Measures Following Outcry Over Sexual Deepfakes in Telegram Chatrooms

  • Writer: tech360.tv
    tech360.tv
  • Aug 28, 2024
  • 2 min read

President Yoon Suk Yeol calls for thorough investigation into digital sex crimes. South Korean officials have reported an increase in online deepfake sex crimes. Concerns expressed about deepfakes aimed at female students and military personnel.


Telegram chatrooms
Credit: REUTERS

The arrest of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, as part of a French investigation into child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud on the encrypted messaging service, has highlighted the need of tackling these concerns.


In response to the growing concerns, the Korea Communications Standards Commission, the state media regulator, has scheduled a conference to examine measures for combating sexually explicit deepfakes.


President Yoon decried the use of technology to commit such crimes, underlining the importance of holding offenders accountable for their conduct during a televised cabinet meeting.


South Korean officials have recorded a considerable spike in online deepfake sex crimes, with 297 cases registered in the first seven months of this year, up from prior years.


According to police, the majority of those involved in these crimes are teenagers or young adults.


Local media sites have reported on the frequency of deepfakes featuring female students in university, high school, and middle school on Telegram channels, causing significant indignation.


The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union has expressed alarm over cases in which schoolchildren have fallen victim to sexual deepfakes, prompting calls for a comprehensive inquiry by the education ministry.


Furthermore, the Military Sexual Abuse Victim Support Centre discovered cases of sexually explicit deepfakes targeting female military personnel spreading in Telegram chatrooms, highlighting the widespread scope of the problem.


Telegram's reputation in South Korea has been tarnished by prior occurrences, such as the discovery of an online sexual blackmail ring operating within the app's chat rooms.


The Sexual Violence Prevention and Victims Protection Act of South Korea punishes the development and dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes with up to five years in prison or a fine of 50 million won (US$37,500).

  • President Yoon Suk Yeol calls for thorough investigation into digital sex crimes

  • South Korean authorities report a surge in online deepfake sex crimes

  • Concerns raised over deepfakes targeting female students and military personnel


Source: REUTERS

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