New Measures Target Online Illegal Footage Sites
South Korea is introducing stricter penalties and new enforcement tools to combat the spread of illegally filmed content online. New legislation will hold operators of websites hosting such material liable, even if they did not produce it. Authorities are also exploring options for law enforcement to legally access and remove illegal content.
South Korea is set to enhance its efforts against the dissemination of illegal video content through newly proposed legislation and enforcement strategies. Under the planned changes, individuals who operate websites that host illegally filmed material will face legal consequences, regardless of whether they were involved in the original production of the content. This initiative aims to hold site operators accountable for the distribution of such material.
The government is also considering equipping investigative agencies with new capabilities, including the ability to 'hack' into domestic illegal websites to gather evidence and directly remove original data of prohibited videos. This measure would require a court warrant, legalizing what is currently prohibited even for investigative purposes. The objective is to expedite the removal of harmful content and to build stronger cases against offenders.
These measures come in response to a persistent increase in digital sex crimes. Reports indicate a rise in investigated cases of digital sex crimes, including the production and distribution of illegal footage, from 2,314 in 2023 to a projected 4,273 in 2025. Furthermore, the rate at which websites fail to comply with requests to remove illegal content has also increased, reaching 28.5% last year from 24.4% in 2022.
To address the challenge of many illegal sites operating on overseas servers, making domestic regulations less effective, the government plans to collaborate with international regulatory bodies, such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This international cooperation aims to pursue civil and criminal liability under local laws for overseas operators.
Additional measures include the establishment of an emergency blocking system, allowing the Minister of Gender Equality and Family to directly request internet service providers to block access to illegal sites. To counter the practice of quickly reopening sites by changing internet addresses after a block, an automated detection system is also planned for development.
(This content was created using generative AI, with partial edits and reviews by the administrator.)