SEOUL, Sept 2 (Reuters) – South Korean police have initiated an investigation into Telegram to determine if the encrypted messaging app has been involved in the distribution of sexually explicit deepfake content, Yonhap news agency reported on Monday.
According to Yonhap, the National Office of Investigation’s cyber investigation bureau is overseeing the probe, though they declined to comment further.
This investigation comes in response to widespread public and political backlash over digital deepfake pornography involving South Korean women, which local media indicates is frequently shared in Telegram chatrooms.
The investigation marks a significant step beyond the earlier comments from National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho, who stated on Monday that his agency was considering whether to investigate secure messaging apps for their potential role in facilitating crimes.
Last week, South Korean authorities announced a crackdown on sexually exploitative deepfake crimes. This initiative coincides with a French investigation into Pavel Durov, Telegram’s Russian-born founder, as French authorities look into organized crime activities on the platform.
In a recent parliamentary session, Cho addressed the challenges associated with investigating criminal activities on Telegram, noting that probes into secure messaging platforms have been particularly complex and time-intensive. Telegram did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment from Reuters on Monday. However, the previous week, the company stated that it actively monitors and removes harmful content from its platform, including illegal pornography.
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South Korea has been identified as the country most affected by deepfake pornography, with 53% of individuals depicted in these manipulated videos being Korean singers and actresses, according to a 2023 global report on deepfakes by Security Hero, a U.S. startup specializing in identity theft protection.
South Korean police have reported a significant rise in deepfake-related sex crime cases, with 297 incidents recorded so far this year. This marks a notable increase from the 156 cases documented in 2021 when such data was first collected. Authorities have observed that both the victims and perpetrators of these crimes are predominantly teenagers.
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In response, South Korea’s media regulator has called on social media companies to enhance their efforts in removing and blocking such content. Additionally, they have sought regular cooperation from French authorities regarding issues related to Telegram and have requested more direct communication with the platform.
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