South Korean police have launched an investigation into the encrypted messaging platform Telegram for allegedly "inciting" the spread of so-called deepfake porn, including images of teenagers generated by artificial intelligence.
Deep fake is content where people's faces are superimposed on other pornographic images or videos using technology.
Last month, a South Korean broadcaster reported that university students were running an illegal Telegram chat room in which they shared fake pornographic material of female classmates. The case sparked widespread public anger.
"In light of these crimes, the Seoul National Police Agency has launched an investigation into incitement to crimes," said Woo Jong-soo, head of the investigation bureau, AFP reported.
"Telegram has not responded to our previous requests for account information during investigations into crimes related to the platform," he said.
Last week alone, police received 88 alerts about fake porn dumps. 24 suspects have been identified.
The Telegram investigation was launched after Pavel Durov, the app's founder and head, was arrested last month in France.
The 39-year-old Durov was charged over extremist and illegal content on the popular platform.
South Korean police have vowed to find ways to cooperate with various investigative authorities, including the French, to improve the investigation.
Activists warn that South Korea is suffering from an epidemic of internet crimes, including such. Many cases have been recorded of cameras being used to film revenge porn. Legislation is inadequate to punish perpetrators.
Deep fake creators use social networking sites such as Instagram to save or capture pictures of victims, which they then use to create pornographic material.
This sparked public anger and prompted President Yoon Suk Yol, a former prosecutor, to call on officials to "investigate and deal thoroughly with these digital sex crimes to eradicate them completely." I BGNES
