Mr Viral
BTS, whose Army diehards are coordinating to report AI deepfakes depicting Hybe artists. Photo Credit: HopeSmiling
BTS agency Hybe’s deepfake crackdown is in full swing, and South Korean police have made multiple arrests in connection with alleged AI-powered crimes. We touched on that deepfake-takedown push yesterday, when Ador vowed to pursue legal action against those making “malicious” online comments about NewJeans. The overarching Hybe, we noted, has for years been spearheading anti-harassment and -defamation efforts.
(This undertaking centers in large part on a form through which fans can report infringement and “problematic” remarks. Here, Hybe requires one to provide, among other things, the post URL and author; there’s an option to identify the culprit’s IP address as well.)
However, Ador also disclosed that it’d started “taking firm action against deepfake crimes, which have become a major social issue.” And one suspect accused of making and distributing “false videos exploiting artists” had already been “indicted and referred to the prosecution while in custody,” Ador indicated.
Now, police have “apprehended” eight more individuals accused of putting out “sexually explicit” AI deepfakes of Hybe acts, according to the Korea Herald. As described by the report, the sting involved a total of 23 persons, 13 of whom were taken into custody. And of the eight facing charges concerning Hybe-related deepfakes, six were taken into custody, per the coverage.
Regarding the charges-custody discrepancy, the Herald elaborated that “90 percent of the suspects are reported to be in their teens or 20s, with no stable employment.”
Unsurprisingly, Hybe reportedly “provided critical information to aid in identifying the suspects,” thereby enabling the “prompt” arrests. Following the point to its logical conclusion, the Herald further reiterated that the K-pop giant had “received reports from fans.”
In a statement, Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang underscored his company’s plans to keep on targeting the parties behind explicit deepfakes. Meanwhile, evidence strongly suggests that diehard supporters intend to continue reporting the relevant AI outputs.“ARMY,” one superfan encouraged on X this morning, “keep reporting real issues on the Hybe Portal… they’re taking good care of our guys & we’re helping! These deepfake crimes especially, need to be stopped!”
Closing with a quick update on the NewJeans-Ador contract battle, the group, now barred from engaging in solo career activities without the agency, just recently provided a detail-light update on its unofficial Instagram page.
(That page was originally tied to NJZ, as which NewJeans members rebranded for a short time, but has since been renamed “mhdhh_friends.”)
As translated by the Korea JoongAng Daily, the NewJeans members thanked fans for their ongoing support and vowed that “our time together will come.” The next court hearing in the NewJeans-Ador dispute is scheduled for early June.
