South Korean authorities have launched an investigation into Telegram to determine whether the encrypted messaging platform has played a role in the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfake content, as reported by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
At a press conference on Monday, Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Office of Investigation, confirmed that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency had initiated a preliminary investigation into Telegram for its potential role in aiding sex crimes. He noted that the recent arrest of Telegram’s founder in France has prompted Korean authorities to seek cooperative assistance from French and international bodies.
The investigation comes in response to significant public and political backlash regarding digital deepfake pornography involving South Korean women, with local media reports suggesting that such content is often prevalent in Telegram chat rooms.
This action goes beyond earlier statements from Cho Ji-ho, the commissioner of the National Policy Agency, who mentioned that his agency was contemplating whether to charge secure messaging apps with “abetting” crimes.
This inquiry targets organized crime activities occurring on the platform. During a parliamentary session, Cho acknowledged the complexities and time demands associated with investigations into secure messaging providers.
Korean police also pursue charges against individuals responsible for creating and programming deepfake bots. The cybercrime division is investigating eight Telegram rooms linked to producing illegal deepfakes. Notably, a chat room generating deepfakes of female soldiers vanished shortly after media coverage of its activities, leaving investigators with few leads.
South Korea’s media regulator has called on social media platforms to improve their measures for removing and blocking this type of content. Furthermore, it has sought ongoing collaboration with French authorities to tackle issues associated with Telegram and establish direct communication with the app. The South Korean government has also revealed its intention to push for stricter legislation that would make the buying or viewing of sexually exploitative deepfakes a criminal offense.
To improve operational efficiency, police emphasize the need to broaden the scope of undercover operations. Current regulations only permit these investigations for digital sex crimes involving minors, requiring prior approval from department heads for undercover officers wishing to hide their identities. Woo Jong-soo highlighted that digital sex crimes have increasingly targeted adults, yet existing laws restrict undercover activities in these cases.
According to authorities, a Telegram channel known as “Room to Humiliate Acquaintances” has resulted in 246 identified victims, leading to the suspect’s swift arrest on August 22.
In a concerning trend, a recent report revealed the creation of a Telegram group aimed at distributing pornographic videos generated from classmates’ photos using artificial intelligence. Last week alone, South Korean police received 88 reports of pornographic deepfakes, with 24 suspects already identified in connection with these crimes.
