Global Spread of SNS Conflicts... War Against Deepfakes and Fake News [AK Radio]

Deepfake Sexual Crimes Worsen
Countries Rush to Regulate SNS Platforms

Globally, conflicts between social networking service (SNS) platforms and governments are intensifying. SNS has become a primary means of free communication and information exchange over the internet, but at the same time, it has established itself as a platform that causes various social problems such as crime, fake news, and hate speech. Accordingly, governments worldwide are strengthening regulations on SNS, deepening conflicts between the two values of 'freedom of expression' and 'user protection.' As incidents related to SNS have occurred in several countries including France, Brazil, and Korea, regulatory discussions surrounding SNS are actively progressing worldwide.

The Arrest of Telegram Founder in France

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, in France symbolically illustrates the conflict between SNS and governments. Telegram is a messenger platform boasting over 800 million users worldwide, emphasizing anonymity and strong encryption features. This strong encryption guarantees privacy protection for users but has also been criticized for potentially facilitating the distribution of illegal content and criminal activities.

French authorities judged that Telegram was being used for distributing child sexual exploitation material and drug trafficking, and requested Telegram to disclose the identities of suspects. However, Pavel Durov did not cooperate with this request, leading the French government to arrest him. Durov was released on bail of 7 billion KRW but was banned from leaving France, and his brother Nikolai Durov also has an arrest warrant issued against him.

This incident sparked an important debate on how SNS platforms like Telegram should balance privacy protection and legal responsibility. France argues that SNS platforms must not condone illegal activities, while Telegram insists that protecting users' privacy is paramount. This case is likely to serve as a significant precedent for how other countries will regulate SNS in the future.

Brazil's Blocking of X (formerly Twitter)

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In Brazil, conflicts between SNS platforms and the government are also escalating. The Brazilian court blocked access to X because it failed to block certain accounts spreading fake news and hate messages. The Brazilian government fined X for not complying with the court's order, and X has not paid this fine. Consequently, the Brazilian court took measures to block access to X and decided to impose fines even for circumventing access restrictions.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, initially strongly opposed the Brazilian government's actions. He claimed that the Brazilian court was suppressing freedom of expression and criticized the court's ruling. However, Musk later changed his stance and announced that he would comply with the Brazilian court's order. This shows that X and Musk are facing similar issues in other countries as well. In the UK, Venezuela, Australia, India, and others, X has clashed with governments over fake news and hate speech problems.

In particular, in the UK, there was an incident where violent protests broke out after X posted messages suggesting that civil war was inevitable related to anti-immigration riots. The UK government criticized X's role, and Musk countered by asserting freedom of expression. These series of incidents demonstrate the potential risks of SNS causing social unrest. Governments argue that SNS must not allow the distribution of content threatening public safety, while SNS platform operators, including Musk, emphasize the protection of freedom of expression.

Deepfake Sexual Crimes Emerging to the Surface

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In Korea, the issue of sexual crimes using deepfake technology has become a serious concern. Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to synthesize a person's face onto other videos, and this technology is being used to produce sexual exploitation material. Initially, this problem mainly targeted celebrities, but recently, ordinary people and students have also become victims of deepfake sexual exploitation material, making it a more severe social issue.

On various SNS platforms including Telegram, deepfake sexual exploitation materials are being distributed covertly, and illegal chat rooms related to Korean educational institutions are thriving. Illegal chat rooms created under the names of middle schools, high schools, and universities nationwide produce and distribute deepfake sexual exploitation materials synthesized with the faces of specific students. Victims unknowingly appear in such illegal content, and it is extremely difficult to delete or recover from the damage.

A recent incident at Seoul National University highlighted this problem further. Graduates of Seoul National University synthesized female students' faces into deepfake sexual exploitation materials and distributed them, with over 60 female victims identified. The perpetrators were sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial, but voices are growing that such punishment is insufficient. This case shows that deepfake sexual crimes are not merely individual problems but have serious impacts on society as a whole.

In Korea, calls for strengthening legal regulations to prevent deepfake sexual crimes are increasing. However, due to the advancement of deepfake technology and covert distribution methods, effectively cracking down and regulating these crimes remains very challenging.

Global Trends in SNS Regulation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regulatory discussions surrounding SNS are spreading worldwide. The European Union (EU) is implementing strong regulatory measures through the Digital Services Act (DSA) to ensure SNS platforms do not passively respond to illegal content distribution. Investigations are underway targeting Meta, TikTok, X, and others. This legislation holds SNS companies legally responsible if they neglect illegal content. The EU views SNS not merely as a means of information transmission but as a significant medium that can cause social unrest, and is thus strengthening regulations accordingly.

The UK is also actively pursuing SNS regulation. The UK government plans to enforce the Online Safety Act from the second half of 2024. This law holds executives criminally liable if SNS platforms fail to sufficiently block illegal content. The UK government argues that SNS must be responsible for illegal content distribution to prevent social unrest.

On the other hand, the United States still maintains immunity provisions for SNS companies. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects SNS platforms from legal liability for content posted by users. However, following the death of a teenager due to the 'fainting challenge' trend on TikTok, calls for holding SNS platforms legally accountable have increased.

Particularly, some states have passed SNS regulatory laws. New York passed a law banning algorithms that provide harmful content to teenagers, and Florida enacted a law preventing children under 14 from joining SNS. These measures aim to block the negative impact of SNS on youth, with growing demands for SNS companies to take greater responsibility for protecting young users.

Clash Between Freedom of Expression and Regulation

The strengthening of SNS regulations has sparked debates over freedom of expression. SNS platforms provide spaces where users can freely share opinions and exchange information, but at the same time, problems such as illegal content, hate speech, and fake news also exist. Governments worldwide are strengthening SNS regulations to reduce these side effects, but some raise concerns that such regulations may excessively suppress freedom of expression.

Excessive suppression of freedom of expression could set a precedent for government censorship of SNS. For example, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, created the platform opposing SNS censorship in Russia, but ironically, he is now arrested in another country for the same issue. Such cases reveal the complex issue of what stance SNS platforms should take between government regulation and user protection.

SNS has become an important communication tool in modern society, but its side effects are also clearly emerging. Governments argue that SNS must be regulated to prevent social unrest, and such regulations are expected to continue strengthening. However, balancing freedom of expression and regulation is a very difficult issue. Excessive regulation can infringe on freedom of expression, while insufficient regulation can make SNS a major cause of social unrest.

SNS platforms are no longer just technology companies but hold important roles with social responsibilities. Conflicts between SNS and governments will continue, and legal and institutional measures to resolve these conflicts are necessary. Governments and SNS platforms must seek ways to simultaneously guarantee social safety and freedom of expression.

Social issues related to SNS will continue to be important topics, and discussions on these matters are expected to become more active at the international level. It is a time when social consensus is needed on how SNS should develop for the public good.

Editor's Note This content is also available on Asia Economy's economic podcast 'AK Radio.' AK Radio is a platform that provides investors with essential information on politics, economy, international affairs, technology, bio, and digital trends. Clicking the video play button within the article allows you to hear the reporter's actual voice. This article is a reorganization of the content broadcasted on AK Radio through ChatGPT.