South Korea Asks Telegram to Crackdown on Digital Sex Crimes
South Korea BattlesAsks DeepfakeTelegram Pornto EpidemicCrackdown on Digital Sex Crimes
The Facts
Sexually explicit "deepfake" images, including those of children and generated using artificial intelligence, are flooding South Korea's chat groups, worrying authorities.The Korea Communications Standards Commission on Wednesday asked messaging app Telegram to delete and block sexually explicit deep fake images — created using artificial intelligence (AI) — from their platforms.
Hundreds of schools and universities, whose students had allegedly become victims — though unconfirmed — of deepfake sex crimes, were named Sunday on X.This comes after South Korean Pres. Yoon Suk Yeol called for a probe into rising deepfake abuse, and morphed photos of women — including students, teachers, and military personnel — were reportedly found in one Telegram chatroom with around 220K members.
The Spin
South Korea's deepfake pornography crisis has exposed the dark underbelly of the nation's digital landscape, where social media and messaging platforms' strong encryption and non-cooperation with law enforcement have inadvertently created a haven for cybercriminals engaging in digital sex crimes.
The potential for misuse aside, AI-powered deepfake technology is simply another tool for creative expression., Likeand withlike many other areasmediums, the ethical line can easily be drawn at consent and intent. The focus must now be on establishing norms, laws, and standards governing their use, balancing innovation with individual rights and public trust.