South Korean authorities are reportedly investigating the Telegram messenger over alleged crimes involving illicit content on the platform.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has launched a preliminary investigation into Telegram over allegations of “abetting deepfake sex crimes,” the local news agency Yonhap News reported on Sept. 3.
According to Woo Jong-soo, head of South Korea’s National Office of Investigation, South Korean police launched an internal investigation into the corporate entity of Telegram before officially booking the inquiry.
He reportedly mentioned that South Korea followed in the footsteps of France in starting the preliminary investigation first. “The charges are about abetting this crime,” Woo added.
South Korea plans to collaborate with French investigators
Woo pointed out potential challenges in the Telegram investigation, such as the lack of information on user accounts. He stated:
“Telegram does not readily provide investigation data, such as account information, to us or other state investigative bodies, including those in the United States.”
As such, in order to proceed with the investigation, South Korean police are planning to collaborate with French authorities and international investigators to find methods for investigating Telegram, Woo noted.
According to Yonhap, this is the first time South Korean police have launched an investigation into Telegram’s corporate entity.
The investigation comes amid South Korea’s struggle to combat online sex crimes, with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol calling on local authorities to investigate and eradicate the issue in August.
Previously, a local police investigation reportedly found one Telegram group chat with 1,200 members where users shared computer-generated sexualized images and other personal information.
South Korea not among top users of Telegram
South Korea is not among the biggest markets for Telegram in terms of messenger use. According to local reports, Telegram had 3 million monthly active users from South Korea as of April 2024.
According to data from Statista, Telegram was ranked the third most popular messaging app in South Korea as of late 2023, with roughly 5% of the local population preferring the platform.
The local messaging app KakaoTalk has gathered significantly more user traction, with at least 95% of respondents indicating its usage. Instagram was ranked second, with 25% of respondents indicating that it was used in South Korea.
Most popular mobile messaging apps in South Korea as of December 2023. Source: Statista
Global crackdown on Telegram: Multiple investigations launched
South Korea’s move to investigate Telegram over alleged negligence of deepfake crimes comes a few weeks after French authorities arrested Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov on Aug. 24. French prosecutors subsequently charged Durov with multiple criminal offenses, including facilitating illicit activities and dissemination of child pornography.
By launching the investigation, South Korea joins a growing number of jurisdictions that have initiated probes against Telegram following Durov’s arrest in France.
India, the largest country in terms of Telegram usage with over 100 million users, launched its investigation after the first reports of Durov’s arrest broke on Aug. 24.
Another major market for Telegram, Indonesia, was also considering blocking Telegram due to lack of content moderation, local reports suggested on Aug. 29.
Top 12 countries in terms of Telegram users as of July 2024. Source: Demandsage
Additionally, the European Union has been reportedly investigating whether Telegram provided false data on its user numbers in the European Union.
According to the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, France launched a preliminary investigation into Telegram in February 2024, while a judicial inquiry was started subsequently in July.
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