AI-generated deepfake pornography issues in East Asia

Authorities and judicial systems in East Asia are addressing the rise of AI-generated sexually explicit content. In China, cybersecurity regulators identified a sophisticated black market infrastructure used to produce harmful AI pornographic short films. This operation involves data trading, technical tool development, and recruitment, with some job advertisements for online screenwriters offering high monthly salaries. The proliferation of this content has raised significant concerns regarding adolescent access, with surveys indicating that a notable percentage of teenagers have viewed or been involved with AI-generated pornography.

In South Korea, the legal system has begun imposing criminal penalties for deepfake offenses. A court sentenced a 30-year-old international student to 18 months in prison for creating over 1,100 sexually explicit deepfake images and videos. The individual used artificial intelligence to superimpose faces onto explicit content and attempted to bypass safeguards in a generative AI chatbot to facilitate the crimes. The sentencing included mandatory sex offender treatment and restrictions on employment involving vulnerable populations.