Adolescents 80% of 474 suspects arrested for deepfake porn this year

Police said on Wednesday that 474 individuals suspected of involvement in digital deepfake sexual crimes have been arrested this year.

Students and their parents participate in a campaign to raise awareness of deepfake sex crimes while holding pickets in front of Dongdo Middle School in Daegu on Oct. 8. [NEWS1]

Police said on Wednesday that 474 individuals suspected of involvement in digital deepfake sexual crimes have been arrested this year.

Of 921 reported cases, 476 cases have been filed for investigation since Aug. 28, when police launched an intensified crackdown in response to the increased circulation of deepfake pornography on Telegram.

The average daily reported cases increased more than fivefold, jumping from 1.85 cases before Aug. 28 to 9.92 cases a day after Aug. 28.

By age, 381 suspects were adolescents, accounting for 80.4 percent of the 474 apprehended individuals. This includes 71 pre-teens between 10 and 13 who face juvenile proceedings instead of criminal prosecution.

People in their 20s accounted for 15.8 percent with 75 arrested, followed by 13 alleged offenders in their 30s. Two suspects were in their 40s and three in their 50s.

The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency recently referred two suspects in their 20s to prosecution with detention for allegedly sharing deepfake sexual videos of 11 victims since May 2023. The duo reportedly operated a so-called Telegram chat room to “insult acquaintances” where sexually explicit deepfake content that synthesized images of their acquaintances were circulated. They are also suspected of sending illegal deepfake images to the victims.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency also arrested a man in his 20s who allegedly produced 4,313 sets of sexually deepfake content using generative AI technology between January and March. Authorities found out he used images of 72 female celebrities for his illicit creations and traded the illegal deepfake content.

Police will continue their intensive crackdown on deepfake sexual crimes through next year’s March 31.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]