South Korean police launched a probe into Telegram to find out whether the messenger was distributing deepfake sexually explicit content.
South Korean media quoted the head of the National Office of Investigation as saying on Monday. The investigation followed public and political outrage over digital deepfake pornography featuring South Korean women, as local media reported that such content was common in Telegram chats.
Authorities in South Korea last week pledged to take severe action against deepfake sexual exploitation offences. This coincided with a French probe into Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, as French authorities investigated organised crime on the platform.
Last week, Telegram stated that it was actively moderating malicious content, including illegal pornography, on its platform. South Korea is the country most exposed to deepfake pornography, with its singers and actresses making up 53 per cent of individuals appearing in such videos, according to a 2023 report by US startup Security Hero.
According to the police report, the number of fake sex offence cases they prosecuted this year rose to 297. That compared to 156 in 2021, when the data was first collected. Most victims and offenders were teenagers, the report added.
South Korea’s media regulator also asked French authorities for regular co-operation in dealing with Telegram-related issues. In addition, the government stated on Friday that it would push for tougher laws to make it a criminal offence to buy or view sexually exploitative deepfakes.
