Coinspeaker
Toncoin (TON) Drops to $5 as South Korean Police Launches Probe against Telegram
Toncoin (TON), the native token of The Open Network, has experienced a slight price decrease within the past 24 hours following reports of Telegram being investigated in South Korea for alleged distribution of deepfake pornography and other sexual materials involving South Korean women.
According to data from CoinMarketCap, the digital asset which started depreciating in value since last week after the arrest of Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov in France dropped nearly 3% on Monday. Currently, TON is valued at around $5.16 from an all-time high of $8.25 recorded in June this year.
South Korea Targets Deepfake Crimes on Telegram
The decline comes less than 24 hours after South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the country’s National Office of Investigation has launched a preliminary probe into the encrypted messaging app to determine whether Telegram violated its law.
The police is examining the platform’s practices and alleged circulation of explicit deepfake sexual contents and materials involving women on the platform.
The investigation was kick started after the police received alarming reports of deepfake pornography circulating in Telegram chat rooms. These manipulated images and videos, designed to look like real individuals, prompted an outcry from both domestic feminist groups and international K-pop fans, demanding immediate government action.
In response to the public outcry, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered a comprehensive investigation into digital sex crimes, particularly those involving the misuse of technology to create and distribute deepfake pornography.
President Yoon emphasized the importance of cracking down on the exploitation of women in digital spaces, calling for stronger regulations to address the issue.
Authorities Take Decisive Action
Following the President’s request, South Korean regulators, in collaboration with police, vowed to take decisive action against those involved in creating and distributing sexually exploitative deepfakes.
They also urged Telegram and other social media companies to fully cooperate with their efforts to stamp out this growing problem.
The police have now swung into action, starting with Telegram. Authorities are looking into the platform to determine whether the reports of Telegram distributing deepfake sexual content and other illicit materials involving their women are true.
The investigation adds to the mounting global pressure on Telegram, which is also facing inquiries in other countries, such as India. While the South Korean probe focuses on illicit sexual content, India’s investigation is centered on allegations of extortion and gambling through the platform.
Korean Women Used for Deepfake Pornography
Over the years, South Korean women have been disproportionately targeted in deepfake pornography. A 2023 report by US-based identity protection startup Security Hero found that South Korean celebrities, including popular singers and actresses, account for 53% of all individuals featured in deepfake content worldwide.
The problem is escalating rapidly within the country. So far, the South Korean police reported 297 deepfake-related sex crime cases this year.
The figure represents a sharp increase from the 156 cases documented in 2021. Shockingly, many of the victims and perpetrators are teenagers.
The gravity of the situation was underscored in August when a South Korean court sentenced a man involved in creating deepfake pornography targeting female students at Seoul National University.
Toncoin (TON) Drops to $5 as South Korean Police Launches Probe against Telegram
