Alleged Deepfake Sex Crimes: South Korea Puts Telegram Under The Microscope

South Korean law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation into the encrypted messaging platform, Telegram, for its alleged involvement in the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfake content.

What Happened: South Korean police are examining whether Telegram played a role in the spread of explicit deepfake content, reported Reuters, citing Yonhap news agency on Monday.

This inquiry comes in the wake of public and political uproar over digital deepfake pornography featuring South Korean women, often discovered in Telegram chatrooms.

The probe is an escalation from previous statements by the National Police Agency’s commissioner, Cho Ji-ho, who indicated that his agency was contemplating an investigation into secure messaging apps for facilitating crimes.

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South Korean authorities vowed last week to intensify efforts to combat sexually exploitative deepfake crimes.

This pledge coincides with a French investigation into Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, for alleged organized crime activities on the platform.

A 2023 report by Security Hero revealed that South Korea is the most targeted country by deepfake pornography, with its singers and actresses making up 53% of the individuals featured in such deepfakes, the report noted.

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Why It Matters: Durov’s arrest in France has led to international figures like Elon Musk considering limiting their travel. Last month, the tech mogul said, “Probably wise to for me to limit movements to countries where free speech is constitutionally protected.”

Durov’s legal troubles have been attributed to his disregard for Western advice, as noted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “Pavel Durov was too free. He didn't listen to Western advice on moderating his brainchild,” said Lavrov earlier this month.

Meanwhile, questions have been raised about Telegram’s financial health, potentially posing a hurdle to its $30 billion IPO. Telegram, with over 900 million users, reported a loss of $108 million last year on revenue of $342 million.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.