South Korean police have launched an investigation into messaging platform Telegram amid allegations it is being used to distribute deepfake pornography targeting young women. The inquiry follows the recent arrest of the platform’s CEO and founder, Pavel Durov, in France on charges including complicity in administering an online platform used by criminal gangs for illicit activities and refusing to cooperate with investigators.
South Korean authorities are working closely with French law enforcement agencies and other international institutions as part of their probe into Telegram, according to Woo Jong-soo, the head of the National Office of Investigation. He revealed that local police had received 88 reports of deepfake pornography last week, resulting in the identification of 24 suspects linked to the complaints.
As part of their investigation, South Korean authorities are examining eight automated programs creating deepfake pornography spread via Telegram and group chat rooms responsible for disseminating such content. The probe will also scrutinize whether Telegram has been abetting the distribution of sexually explicit deepfake content. Woo Jong-soo highlighted that the messaging platform administration does not readily provide investigation data, such as account information, to state authorities, including those in the US.
Durov was arrested last Saturday at Paris-Le Bourget Airport and has since been charged with multiple offenses. He was released on a €5 million ($5.55 million) bail on Wednesday and ordered to remain in France until the case against him concludes. Telegram has maintained that it complies with EU laws and adheres to industry standards in its content moderation policies, asserting that blaming a platform or its owner for abuse of that platform is “absurd.