Telegram faces South Korean investigation over deepfake porn ‘emergency’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy South Korea is investigating Telegram for allegedly facilitating the distribution of deepfake pornography, just days after the platform’s founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France. South Korean police will examine whether the messaging platform is facilitating the spread of sexually explicit deepfake material, which is increasingly targeting women and minors, the Yonhap News agency reported, quoting the head of the National Office of Investigation. Moderators proactively monitor public parts of the platform, use AI tools and accept user reports in order to remove content that breaches Telegram’s terms of service.” President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for thorough investigations into digital sex crimes, emphasising the need to address the exploitation of technology and anonymity. "Deepfake sexual abuse materials can be created in just a minute and anyone can enter the chatroom without any verification process," the BBC quoted women’s rights activist Park Ji-hyun as saying on X.