South Korean Authorities Launch Deepfake Probe

Authorities in South Korea have stepped up efforts to combat a rampant rise in fake videos, especially explicit material targeting women and teenagers.

But how much of a step does this investigation into the messaging platform Telegram represent? Amid public and political outrage alike, the Seoul Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into allegations of negligence on the part of Telegram for allowing the spam to spread. fake porn pictures To spread on its platform.

Authorities said fake sex crimes have increased dramatically, from 156 cases in 2021 to 297 this year alone, forcing the government to take tough measures to deal with the problem.

Telegram investigation

Investigations into Telegram began after eight bots were found to be creating fake pornographic images on the app. Complaints to police have piled up, with reports of Deepfake Sexual Crimes It has been submitted by up to 88 people within a few days.

The company has so far refused to provide investigators with necessary materials, including account details, said Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency.

This has made it difficult for police to hold the perpetrators accountable. Against this backdrop, the South Korean government is cooperating with French investigative agencies as part of renewed efforts following the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who is accused of running a platform that hosted a number of online crimes.

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Increase victim support measures

The South Korean government has taken various steps to support victims and strengthen regulatory oversight. The Korea Communications Standards Commission announced the establishment of a 24-hour hotline for victims of deepfake content, while the commission plans to increase the number of staff currently tasked with monitoring fake content. Digital Sex Crimes From 70 current.

Meanwhile, the Korea National Police Agency has launched a seven-month program to strengthen operations against online sex crimes. The campaign includes the establishment of an advisory body that will ensure good communication with social media sites regarding the removal and blocking of dangerous content.

Call for cooperation

South Korean authorities are calling on Telegram and all other social media platforms, such as X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, to urgently cooperate in removing sexually explicit content. Deep fake content.

The authorities stressed that the production, possession and distribution of fake sex videos constitutes a serious violation of individual dignity and personal rights. While Telegram claimed to have removed harmful content using artificial intelligence tools and user reports, the platform has faced criticism for its handling of digital sex crimes.

Naturally, this case has had a strong impact on the company with Durov’s recent arrest, raising many questions about how seriously the company takes such cases.

Fake pornography has spread in South Korea, raising the country’s concern to a very high level, as the majority of victims in the country are young female students and even military personnel.

More than 6,400 requests for assistance have been submitted this year alone by South Koreans to the Korea Communications Standards Commission to remove deepfake content.

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