KCSC Plans Visit to Overseas SNS Headquarters... Strengthening International Cooperation on Nth Room Case

Building Regulatory Consensus with Overseas Operators... Plan to Raise Awareness of Seriousness
"For Digital Sexual Exploitation Material, Deleting Original Content Is More Important Than Blocking Access"
Visits in 2018 to Tumblr, 2019 to Google, and Again This Year
Expanding Cooperation with US, European Associations and Civic Groups

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Regarding the distribution of illegal filmed materials similar to the Telegram n-room on overseas SNS, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) is intensifying international cooperation by directly meeting with overseas operators to request deletion.

According to the industry on the 1st, the KCSC plans to visit the U.S. headquarters of overseas platform operators such as Discord and the dark web to request the removal of illegal content. A KCSC official explained, "Overseas platform operators still have a weak awareness of the seriousness of illegal filmed materials distributed digitally," adding, "We plan to meet to build a consensus on regulation and request deletion of the original content."

It is judged that face-to-face discussions about cases of sexual exploitation material distribution are more effective for deleting original content than official letters or video conferences. Previously, the KCSC visited Tumblr in 2018 and Google headquarters last year to request the deletion of illegal filmed materials. The KCSC plans to coordinate schedules to visit the headquarters of overseas platform companies such as Discord as the COVID-19 situation eases.

In addition, cooperation with civic groups and associations will be expanded. Examples include the U.S.-based Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI), the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Europe-based International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE). A KCSC official stated, "In the U.S. and Europe, associations and civic groups related to illegal filmed materials are active, so we will also request cooperation through these channels." Furthermore, plans are in place to strengthen international cooperation with Interpol in responding to digital sex crimes.

Meanwhile, according to Park Kwang-on, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, from 2016 to February of this year, the KCSC reviewed 85,818 cases of digital sex crime materials from overseas operators. Targets included Google, Twitter, Telegram, and Discord. However, among these, only 27,159 cases of digital sex crime materials were deleted voluntarily by overseas operators, accounting for 32% of the total reviewed cases. The KCSC blocked access to the remaining 58,659 cases, which is 68%, but even now, access is possible using circumvention programs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.