Photos from a dating app stolen and reposted elsewhere in South Korea
Photos you uploaded to a dating app such as Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, or Grindr have been screenshot and reposted to public sites without your consent. The screenshots may be reposted with mocking, harassing, or sexualized commentary.
KR
jurisdiction
Sexual
primary statute
48 hr
TAKE IT DOWN Act window
Regulator power
enforcement route
Tl;dr
In South Korea, this conduct is prosecuted under Sexual Violence Punishment Act article 14 and 14-2. The civil erasure route runs through PIPA right to delete plus Information and Communications Network Act takedown procedures and PIPC. Where the host platform is subject to US jurisdiction, the TAKE IT DOWN Act adds a 48 hour platform removal obligation in parallel.
Why this happens
Dating app profile photos are frequently scraped and reposted on rate me forums, harassment sites, and Reddit subreddits dedicated to mocking dating profiles. This is documented across all major dating apps.
Some screenshots are taken by users who matched with you and then chose to post the content publicly. The dating app holds records of which users matched with you in the relevant time window.
Legal framework in South Korea
Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes article 14 (illegal filming) and 14-2 (deepfake intimate images, added 2020). Filming: up to 7 years imprisonment or fine up to KRW 50 million. Distribution for profit: up to 10 years. Deepfake intimate images: up to 5 years.
South Korea reformed its laws after the Nth Room case, adding article 14-2 in 2020 to specifically address deepfake intimate images. The Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center operates as a government funded removal service available to all victims at no cost.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshots of every URL where the content has been reposted
- Your dating app profile, with the original photos and the upload dates
- The list of users who matched with you in the relevant time window, requested through the app's data export
- Any harassing comments or commentary attached to the reposts
Do not: Do not delete your dating app account before the data export request is filed. Account deletion typically purges the matching history within 30 days.
Five step removal process
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1
Preserve all evidence first
Screenshots of every URL where the content has been reposted. Your dating app profile, with the original photos and the upload dates.
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2
File the Sexual Violence Punishment Act article 14 and 14-2 criminal complaint
Report to local police or the national cybercrime unit. Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center can assist.
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3
Submit an erasure request under PIPA right to delete plus Information and Communications Network Act takedown procedures
Each major platform has a designated data protection contact. The request must cite the legal basis and identify the URLs. The platform has 30 days to respond. PIPC accepts complaints for non compliance.
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4
Run a biometric scan to find every additional copy
Content posted to one platform is rarely confined to one platform. ScanErase identifies every current hosting location in a single scan, including mirror copies and AI generated variants.
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5
File TAKE IT DOWN Act notices for covered platforms
Use your scan report to file the federal 48 hour notice yourself, in parallel with your domestic rights. The two regimes are cumulative, not exclusive.
Statutory citations to include in your complaint
- Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes article 14 (illegal filming) and 14-2 (deepfake intimate images, added 2020)
- PIPA right to delete plus Information and Communications Network Act takedown procedures
- US TAKE IT DOWN Act for any covered platform
- Right of publicity claims under state law for unauthorized commercial use of likeness
- Dating app terms of service violations which can support data export requests under state privacy law
Frequently asked questions
Is dating app screenshot a crime in South Korea?
Yes. Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes article 14 (illegal filming) and 14-2 (deepfake intimate images, added 2020) criminalises this conduct. Filming: up to 7 years imprisonment or fine up to KRW 50 million. Distribution for profit: up to 10 years. Deepfake intimate images: up to 5 years.
What evidence should a South Korea victim of dating app screenshot preserve?
Screenshots of every URL where the content has been reposted. Your dating app profile, with the original photos and the upload dates. The list of users who matched with you in the relevant time window, requested through the app's data export. Any harassing comments or commentary attached to the reposts.
Does PIPA right to delete apply to this scenario?
Yes. PIPA right to delete plus Information and Communications Network Act takedown procedures gives the victim a direct erasure right against any platform processing the imagery. PIPC enforces non compliance.
What support is available in South Korea for dating app screenshot?
Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center provides direct support to victims and can assist with both the criminal complaint and the platform removal process. Contact at https://d4u.stop.or.kr.
Can a South Korea victim also file a US TAKE IT DOWN Act notice?
Yes when the hosting platform is subject to US jurisdiction. The 48 hour federal removal obligation runs in parallel with rights under Sexual Violence Punishment Act article 14 and 14-2 and PIPA right to delete plus Information and Communications Network Act takedown procedures.
Remove every copy now
One scan. Coordinated removal under Sexual Violence Punishment Act article 14 and 14-2, PIPA right to delete plus Information and Communications Network Act takedown procedures, and the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
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