Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Success! Now Check Your Email

To complete Subscribe, click the confirmation link in your inbox. If it doesn’t arrive within 3 minutes, check your spam folder.

Ok, Thanks
Telegram Agrees to Swiftly Remove Illegal Content in South Korea
Photo by Christian Wiediger / Unsplash

Telegram Agrees to Swiftly Remove Illegal Content in South Korea

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

Seoul, South Korea—Telegram, the messaging app often criticized as a hub for illegal activities, has agreed to remove unlawful content rapidly in South Korea, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) announced on Monday.

KCSC Chairman Ryu Hee-Rim stated that Telegram executives agreed to "cooperate on multiple fronts regarding illegal information" during September 27-28 meetings. 

The company committed to swiftly delete or block content deemed illegal by the KCSC upon request.

Since establishing a communication channel with Telegram on September 3, the KCSC requested the removal of 148 pieces of digital sex crime information. 

Telegram complied with all requests within two days, with the longest response time being 36 hours.

The agreement comes amid growing concerns over the spread of deepfake pornography in South Korea. 

According to the Ministry of Education, 833 victims of deepfake videos were reported in schools between January 1 and August 27, including 799 students, 31 teachers, and three staff members.

KCSC reported that requests for blocking and deleting deepfake pornography on platforms like Telegram increased from 473 cases in 2020 to 7,187 in 2023, a 15-fold increase. 

Police reports of deepfake pornography crimes nearly doubled from 156 cases in 2021 to 297 in 2023.

The South Korean government is considering imposing content management obligations on platform operators like Telegram. 

The ruling party has proposed implementing fines and access blocks for platforms that consistently fail to comply with takedown requests for deepfake videos.

Telegram also agreed to cooperate with South Korean law enforcement in criminal investigations, potentially providing user information such as IP addresses and phone numbers of suspected criminals.

KCSC plans to strengthen cooperation with Telegram through regular working-level meetings and additional communication channels, including direct phone lines and video conferences.

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

Subscribe to The Pickool

Success! Now Check Your Email

To complete Subscribe, click the confirmation link in your inbox. If it doesn’t arrive within 3 minutes, check your spam folder.

Ok, Thanks

Read More