For the first time, Telegram apologizes and will remove content

Telegram, the second-largest instant messaging service in the world after WhatsApp, has cooperated with South Korean authorities and has removed 25 videos showing sexual crimes.

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The Communication Standards Commission of South Korea yesterday published the news about Telegram’s actions, and reported that the platform had apologized for the presence of illegal content.

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

“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,” says the Commission’s statement after automatic translation.

The current situation of Telegram is the result of two countries: France and South Korea

On one hand, French authorities arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov last week 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.

The other one is that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took advantage of last week’s cabinet meeting to declare that the country is facing a deepfake crisis. As Human Rights Watch details, “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.”

The president tried to mobilize local authorities to fight against the repugnant material, which apparently is consumed by a group with over 220,000 members.

One of the tactics consisted of the Communication Standards Commission writing to the French authorities to ask for help with the cooperation of Telegram.

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The letter mentioned the “serious social damages recently occurred in Korea due to Telegram’s deepfake sexual crime videos.”

The Telegram blog and social media do not mention their actions in South Korea, so it is difficult to know if the apologies and help offered represent an actual change of direction after Durov’s arrest.