Malicious Rumors Spreading Online That Harm People Have Increased by 20% Annually

by Yoo Byeongdon

Published 27 Oct.2022 10:00(KST)

Defamation Cases under the Information and Communications Network Act Triple in 7 Years Since Compilation

SNS rumor (Photo by Getty Images Bank)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] #The prosecution has indicted YouTuber Kim Yong-ho (46), who raised various suspicions surrounding the private life of broadcaster Park Soo-hong (52), on charges of defamation. Last year, Kim raised suspicions on his YouTube channel 'Kim Yong-ho Entertainment Chief' suggesting that "Park's spouse was in a romantic relationship with the former CEO of the wet tissue company Mondeud, who was a friend of Park, and after that CEO's extreme choice, Park and his spouse got married." He also claimed that Park's spouse used drugs with that individual. Among the charges applied to Kim was defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.

#Singer and actor Rain (real name Jung Ji-hoon) recently filed complaints with the police against YouTubers and netizens who spread malicious rumors about him. This action followed a media report stating, "Top star A, skilled in acting, singing, and dancing, is rumored to be dating professional golfer C while having a wife B who combines beauty and intelligence." Subsequently, various unverified rumors involving Rain and Kim Tae-hee's couple also spread. Rain submitted a complaint to the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul against 16 YouTubers and netizens on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.

The number of cases where unverified false information is spread online, damaging others' reputations, has been explosively increasing every year.

According to the National Police Agency on the 27th, the number of defamation cases under the Information and Communications Network Act last year was recorded at 11,354. This figure is more than three times higher than the 3,702 cases recorded in 2014, when this crime type began to be separately classified, marking an all-time high.

Furthermore, the number of defamation cases under the Information and Communications Network Act has steadily increased each year by 10-20%. The cases rose from 3,702 in 2014 to 4,337 in 2015 → 5,244 in 2016 → 5,629 in 2017 → 6,641 in 2018 → 7,594 in 2019 → 9,140 in 2020, and last year exceeded 10,000 for the first time. Especially last year, the increase rate exceeded 24%, marking the largest surge since statistics began to be compiled.

Due to the significant impact of online defamation, the legal penalties are also more severe. If defamation is caused by spreading false information, the punishment can be △ imprisonment for up to 7 years △ suspension of qualifications for up to 10 years or a fine of up to 50 million KRW. Even if the defamation is caused by revealing facts, the penalty can be imprisonment for up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million KRW. This is a stricter punishment compared to general defamation, which carries imprisonment or detention for up to 2 years or a fine of up to 5 million KRW.

Professor Lee Woong-hyuk of Konkuk University's Department of Police Science explained, "Both the creators who fabricate and spread false information and those who recklessly disseminate provocative content are problematic," adding, "Stricter sanctions are necessary for content aimed at slandering or defaming personal information."