Telegram has issued an apology to South Korean authorities for its handling of sexually explicit deepfake material shared via its messaging app, amidst a growing digital sex crime epidemic in the country.
South Korean police recently launched an investigation into Telegram, accusing the platform of “abetting” the distribution of these images. The inquiry followed the discovery of numerous chatrooms, many managed by teenagers, creating deepfake pornography using manipulated photos of young women.
In response, Telegram removed 25 such videos from its platform, as requested by South Korea’s Communications Standards Commission (KCSC). The company acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, stating, “The situation was unfortunate” and expressing regret for any misunderstanding. Telegram has also proposed establishing a dedicated email address for future communication with the KCSC.
KCSC praised Telegram’s response as “very forward-looking” and noted that the company has “acknowledged the seriousness” of the issue.
The crisis has caused significant outrage in South Korea, especially after reports emerged of police investigating deepfake porn rings at major universities. Over the past five days, authorities received 118 reports of such videos, and seven suspects, including six teenagers, have been questioned.
The use of deepfakes, which combine real faces with fake bodies through artificial intelligence, has intensified concerns about digital sex crimes. South Korean laws stipulate that those found guilty of creating sexually explicit deepfakes can face up to five years in prison and fines up to 50 million won ($37,500; £28,300).
This situation follows the arrest of Telegram’s Russian-born founder, Pavel Durov, in France, on charges related to child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for a thorough investigation into digital sex crimes, urging authorities to eradicate them. Women’s rights activists have criticized the authorities for failing to prevent sexual abuse facilitated through Telegram, citing past cases such as the 2019 sex ring led by Cho Ju-bin, who was sentenced to 42 years in prison.
