South Korean Police Launch Probe into Telegram’s Deepfake Connection
The South Korean police have initiated an investigation into Telegram on suspicion of facilitating crimes involving deepfake technology. This was announced by Woo Jong-soo, Director of the National Investigation Agency, during a regular press conference, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
The investigation was launched by the Seoul Metropolitan Police. Woo Jong-soonoted that Telegram typically does not provide the necessary information for investigations to either South Korean or other international law enforcement agencies, including those in the United States. He acknowledged that this poses significant challenges to the investigation. Nonetheless, Woo emphasized that the police have their own investigative methods and are continuing their efforts.
Furthermore, Woo Jong-soo stated that the South Korean police intend to collaborate with their French counterparts and international organizations to find effective ways to investigate crimes related to the messaging platform. This marks the first time Korean police have investigated Telegram. The decision comes amid growing international concern over crimes being committed through the platform.
It is worth recalling that French authorities previously issued an arrest warrant for Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, charging him with aiding and abetting various crimes, including online sexual offenses and drug trafficking.
Between August 26 and 29, South Korea recorded 88 reports of crimes involving deepfake technology, nearly ten times the average weekly number of such reports during the first seven months of the year. The police are investigating eight Telegram bots that automatically generate sexually explicit deepfake content, as well as examining group chats where such materials are disseminated. The creators of these bots may face charges of conspiracy and aiding criminal activities.
