SEOUL - A coalition of South Korean television celebrities and media personalities on Friday called for major social media platforms, including YouTube, to intensify their efforts against online phishing scams that misuse their identities. This appeal comes in response to a rising number of fraudulent schemes targeting public figures and their followers on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
According to Yonhap News Agency, which comprises over 130 individuals including comedians, YouTubers, and financial analysts, these phishing organizations have increasingly targeted well-known personalities, exploiting their images to deceive fans and followers. "Since last year, phishing scam organizations have been targeting famous or influential figures, such as former presidents, the leader of a conglomerate, entertainers and YouTubers, on Facebook and Instagram," they stated in a joint press release. They criticized the social media giants for lacking preemptive measures to filter out fraudulent advertisements.
The coalition, citing police data, highlighted that over 1,000 cases of fraud involving financial investment advice were reported between September and December of the previous year, amounting to approximately 120 billion won (US$89.7 million) in damages. To combat this issue, they urged platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and South Korean companies Naver Corp. and Kakao Corp., to adopt advanced systems capable of detecting and blocking fraudulent content before it reaches users.
Furthermore, the celebrities called for the South Korean government to establish a specialized investigation team dedicated to addressing online phishing scams, signaling the urgency of the matter.
Responding to the call for action, a spokesperson for Google, which owns YouTube, emphasized the company's commitment to maintaining a secure platform. "Keeping our platforms safe is a top priority at Google," the spokesperson said, noting that Google has stringent policies and a dedicated team to enforce these rules, including removing violative ads and suspending offending advertiser accounts.
Meta Platforms Inc., overseeing Facebook and Instagram, also expressed its dedication to fostering a secure and trustworthy environment on its platforms, acknowledging the importance of safeguarding users from fraudulent activities.