South Korea’s National Police Agency (KNPA) has launched an investigation into the encrypted messaging app Telegram, suspecting it of facilitating the distribution of AI-generated pornography, also known as deepfake porn. This investigation follows a surge in complaints about explicit material involving real people’s faces, including images of teenagers.
The probe was announced on Monday after Seoul police received numerous complaints about deepfake pornography. This material involves superimposing the faces of real individuals onto AI-generated bodies. The controversy surrounding Telegram intensified last month when a South Korean broadcaster reported on a Telegram chatroom operated by university students, who were sharing deepfake pornographic images of their female classmates.
The case has sparked public outrage, leading the KNPA to take action. “In light of these crimes, the Seoul National Police Agency launched their probe last week… for abetting the crimes,” said KNPA investigations chief Woo Jong-soo. He also noted that Telegram has been unresponsive to previous requests for account information related to other Telegram-linked crimes.
To date, police have received 88 complaints about deepfake pornography and have identified 24 suspects. The rise in digital sex crimes, including spycams and revenge porn, has become a significant concern in South Korea. President Yoon Suk Yeol, a former prosecutor, has vowed to “eradicate” these types of crimes.
Adding to the controversy, Telegram’s founder and chief, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France in August. The Russian-born entrepreneur, who is based in Dubai, faces allegations of allowing criminal activity to proliferate on the platform. South Korean police are collaborating with French authorities on the case to address the broader issue of digital exploitation and its regulation.
The investigation underscores South Korea’s commitment to combating digital sex crimes and protecting individuals from the misuse of technology
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