For the first time, Telegram apologizes to South Korea for deepfake porn

The Communication Standards Commission of South Korea Tuesday (Sept 2) published the news about the platform's actions, and reported that Telegram, the second-largest instant messaging service in the world after WhatsApp, had apologized for the presence of illegal content.

The Korean Commission expressed its hope that the incident will be a first step towards a productive relationship, which includes providing the instant messaging platform with a direct email line to facilitate the quick withdrawal of requests, reports Softonic.

“Telegram’s statement, which countries around the world have requested, is very forward-looking, and it is assessed that by recognizing the seriousness of the recent incident in our country and clearly showing a willingness to cooperate in the future, it will largely pave the way to resolve the current situation,” the Commission’s statement read after automatic translation.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, during last week's cabinet meeting, declared that the country is facing a deepfake crisis, as per reports.

New York City-based international human rights organization Human Rights Watch said, “South Korea is facing an epidemic of digital sexual crimes, with hundreds of women and girls being targeted by deepfake sexual images that are shared online.”

Recently, French authorities arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov and subsequently charged him for the content disseminated on the platform, and the rebel network’s lack of response to requests for help in investigating the origin of that content.