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SM Entertainment Warns Of Strong Legal Action Against Malicious Posts Targeting Artists
SM Entertainment has shared an update on its ongoing legal action to protect its artists from malicious posts, defamation, and sexual harassment across both domestic and international platforms.
On October 12, SM Entertainment released the following statement:
Hello, this is SM Entertainment.
We would like to provide a statement regarding our legal actions against violations of our artists’ rights.
We strongly warn that anonymity on overseas platforms can no longer be used as a means of evading legal responsibility.
Even after our previous notice, malicious content that disparages or sexually harasses our artists continues to be posted on global platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). In particular, provocative content is being produced indiscriminately on YouTube, rapidly spreading distorted images of our artists and causing serious harm.
In response, we conducted intensive evidence collection over approximately three months. We have completed the identification of accounts and collection of evidence not only against so-called “cyber wreckers”—channels that habitually mock and defame artists—but also against accounts that have posted sexually harassing or personally abusive Shorts videos and comments.
We have retained the law firm Shin & Kim LLC and a U.S.-based law firm to pursue discovery proceedings in U.S. courts to identify the individuals behind these accounts. The same procedures are also underway against several X (formerly Twitter) accounts that have posted malicious content targeting our artists. We will continue to make active use of discovery proceedings and take legal action without exception.
We make it clear that legal action will target not only the accounts that directly posted the content but also users who participated by leaving comments.
We will also hold perpetrators operating on domestic platforms legally accountable to the fullest extent, without settlements or leniency. We continuously monitor anonymous platforms, including DC Inside galleries such as Male Celebrities, Other Korean Dramas, the 2012 London Olympics, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and Girls Planet 999. We have filed criminal complaints against individuals who spread false information about our artists or insulted them using derogatory language, on charges including violations of the Information and Communications Network Act and criminal insult. We have also completed evidence collection for numerous other malicious posts and are preparing to file additional complaints.
Furthermore, in some cases previously reported by us, defendants were found guilty at the first trial of violating the Information and Communications Network Act (defamation) and insult. Appeals are currently underway, and for cases still in court, we ask for your understanding that we cannot disclose specific details until the rulings become final, in order to prevent such disclosures from potentially influencing the proceedings or being used as circumstances favorable to the defendants.
We continue to take action based on reports submitted through “KWANGYA 119,” including collecting evidence in real time and reporting posts. We reiterate that all collected materials will be submitted to investigative authorities as evidence, regardless of whether the posts are deleted or the accounts are deactivated or switched to private. No attempt to circumvent these measures will allow perpetrators to escape responsibility. Even if investigations and trials take considerable time, we will respond firmly to criminal acts targeting our artists under a zero-tolerance policy.
We would like to thank domestic and international platform operators for responding to our requests for cooperation to facilitate investigations. We also sincerely thank our fans for their unwavering support for our artists and for reporting various forms of malicious content. Reports submitted through “KWANGYA 119” play an important role in our legal actions, and we ask for your continued interest and participation.
Thank you.
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