Johnny Somali Guaranteed Prison Time in South Korea After AI Deepfake Scandal
The days of online infamy are over. For Somali, the virtual stage that once gave him global attention has been replaced by the harsh reality of legal consequences.
Johnny Somali's legal woes began with a cascade of misdemeanors. Prosecutors initially slapped him with multiple charges, including Obstruction of Business and violations of the Minor Crimes Act. His reckless behavior had become a recurring nuisance in South Korea's public spaces.
Among his most infamous stunts was the grotesque incident of brandishing a dead fish on a subway, tormenting passengers with its foul presence. His penchant for public humiliation and chaos didn't stop there. Inappropriate conduct on public transport and relentless disruptions left locals outraged and authorities determined to end his antics.
But even those reprehensible acts pale in comparison to the new accusation that has escalated his case to unprecedented severity.
Prosecutors revealed that Somali is now facing charges for violating South Korea's Special Act on Sexual Violence Crimes. The charge stems from an AI-generated deepfake video that depicted popular Korean streamer BongBong in fabricated intimate scenes with Somali.
Under South Korean law, the creation, distribution, or possession of non-consensual AI-generated explicit content is classified as a sexual crime. Legal experts have confirmed that this offense carries a mandatory prison sentence of up to seven years. Unlike the previous charges, which allowed for financial penalties, this particular crime eliminates the possibility of a mere fine.
'This is not simply an issue of digital mischief,' explained legal analyst Legal Mindset. 'This is a serious sexual offense, and South Korea's courts will treat it as such. When deepfakes are weaponized to humiliate or defame, the legal system responds with severe consequences.'
South Korea has cemented its reputation as a global leader in combating digital sex crimes. The country's strict laws were fortified following a series of high-profile cases involving sexually explicit deepfakes and online harassment.
In 2024, lawmakers passed legislation criminalizing the possession and viewing of non-consensual deepfake content. The penalties are unyielding. Offenders can face up to three years in prison or fines reaching 30 million won, equivalent to around $22,600. Distributing or profiting from such content carries even harsher consequences, with sentences of up to seven years behind bars.
South Korean society, still healing from past cases of cyber exploitation, has shown little patience for perpetrators like Somali. Public sentiment is resolute. Accountability is not optional.
As if the gravity of his legal situation were not enough, Somali's courtroom behavior has only exacerbated the backlash. During his March 7 hearing, the streamer arrived inebriated, staggering through the halls of justice in a 'Make America Great Again' hat.
'It was a blatant display of contempt for the court,' remarked one observer. 'He seemed more interested in making a spectacle than acknowledging the seriousness of his crimes.'
Theatrics aside, Somali's antics did him no favors. Many South Korean citizens took his actions as a deliberate insult, further fueling public outrage. Online forums buzzed with condemnation, with thousands calling for the harshest possible sentence.
Somali's case is more than a cautionary tale of personal downfall. It is a reflection of the dark side of technological advancement. AI-powered deepfake technology has become a weapon for harassment, defamation, and character assassination.
South Korean lawmakers have consistently emphasized that the fight against digital sex crimes is far from over. With Johnny Somali's case in the spotlight, there are growing calls for even stricter regulations and harsher penalties. Advocates argue that the rapid proliferation of AI-generated content necessitates a vigilant and adaptive legal response.
'This is a watershed moment,' said activist and digital safety advocate Minji Park. 'The court's decision will set a precedent, sending a clear message that technology cannot be exploited without consequence.'
As the legal proceedings continue, one certainty remains. Prison time is inevitable for Johnny Somali. The days of streaming reckless stunts for online clout are gone. Now, he faces the cold reality of South Korea's unwavering justice system.
The court's ruling is expected to send reverberations across the digital landscape, serving as a stark reminder that actions, even those performed behind the facade of a screen, carry real-world consequences.
For Johnny Somali, the stage is dark, the audience is gone, and the final act is near.
The post Johnny Somali Guaranteed Prison Time in South Korea After AI Deepfake Scandal appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
First, He Ruined Twitter. Now He's Coming for Vine's Legacy.
Elon, we all do crazy things post-breakup, but if anything, we need less social media. And certainly less AI. Elon Musk has another idea that no one asked for and no one wants. If you weren't of iPhone age between 2013 and 2017, let me explain: Vine was a six-second video-sharing app that took the internet by storm. Basically, it walked so TikTok could run (unfortunately, it also gave us Jake Paul, but that's a different story). Just as quickly as it arrived, it vanished, leaving behind a trail of compilations and quotes branded in our brains. It completely reframed the way our brains read 'Road Work Ahead.' (I sure hope it does). Not to mention every time we see an avocado (It's an avocado…thanks). Most Popular George Clooney Sounds Like a Lovely House Husband Ohio Woman Faces 'Abuse of a Corpse' Charge for Miscarriage in Another Post-Roe Nightmare Abortion Access Will, Once Again, Be Decided by the Supreme Court Since then, Vine has been resting peacefully, but because society is hell bent on ruining once-beautiful things, it's coming back. Elon Musk announced Thursday that he plans to revive the app—but! with an artificial intelligence twist. Because that's what we need more of on the internet…. According to Musk, 100% of the content on his new Vine will be AI-generated, and I, for one, hate living in the future. Here's what I expect to go down on Elon's new AI Vine: Right off the bat, deep fakes of Obama and Hillary Clinton chilling in the Illuminati dungeons. That just seems like it would fit the clientele. Then, some videos that your weird uncle will send you at 3 a.m. featuring disturbingly high-quality Biden softcore. And that would just be the first three scrolls. I can't even imagine the horror you'd see after doom-scrolling Musk's for you page for an hour. But it would probably be AI-generated podcast clips explaining why Adele is a time-traveling psyop, sent from the near future to set fire to the rain. Yes, Twitter is bad. But AI Vine will be worse. It will be an even bigger cesspool of Musk-fearing, conspiracy-loving, keyboard-banging incels who think AI is 'sick, bro.' But hey, that's just one girl's prediction. Vine was once a place for innocent chaos and internet weirdos to come together. It shaped the sense of humor of a generation. I would hate for Gen Alpha to be exposed, even for a second, to whatever the fuck this will be. As someone who grew up on Vine, I beg Musk: leave it alone. Elon, we all do crazy things post-breakup, but if anything, we need less social media. We need less AI. Can we please bring back buying the local paper from the paperboy for a nickel and reading it under a gazebo in your town square???? I have to go. I need to shut my laptop. I can't do this anymore. If anyone needs me, I'll be watching Vine compilations on TikTok. Like what you just read? You've got great taste. Subscribe to Jezebel, and for $5 a month or $50 a year, you'll get access to a bunch of subscriber benefits, including getting to read the next article (and all the ones after that) ad-free. Plus, you'll be supporting independent journalism—which, can you even imagine not supporting independent journalism in times like these? Yikes. Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
22 Petty Reasons Why People Dumped Their Partner
We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the pettiest reasons they broke up with someone, and their submissions are actually hysterical. Here's what they had to say: "I didn't go on a date with someone because they heard my accent (I'm from London) and asked how I 'got so good at talking American since it's not my first language.'' "We were selecting a movie at the video store (yes, I'm that old), and he went down a different aisle than I did. I turned the corner, and he was knuckle deep in his nose. He pulled out the biggest booger I've ever seen in my life and then rolled and flicked it. Date over." "He called me kiddo. I paused. Replayed it in my head in case I heard it wrong. I broke up with him right there and then. I have worked too hard for too long to be reduced to 'kiddo.'" "I was dating this guy in high school who was very sweet but super shy, and we did NOT have the same sense of humor. When I broke up with him, I told him we just didn't have similar enough personalities, including a sense of humor. He asked what I meant, and I told him that I really love a good bit, and it's very important to me to laugh in a relationship. He looked super confused for a minute and then finally asked what a bit was. I knew it was for sure over then." "I dated this guy for a while, but couldn't get over how he constantly kissed his dog more than the average person. It was wild how much he showed affection to the dog over people." "She would refer to herself in the third person. She'd be like 'Well, Shelly doesn't like that.' WELL, GUESS WHAT? Jake doesn't like THAT." "In my opinion, this was not petty, but very much deserved. I had a pretty great boyfriend, aside from minimal red flags. Well, this man spent the night in my apartment. I was horrified to find that he both did not wash his hands and did not brush his teeth more than three times a week. I dumped him later that day." "I did not know what to get him for Christmas so I dumped him." "I hated the way he swallowed water from his water bottle. He'd throw his head back as far as it would go and hold the water bottle straight up. But the angle of his neck from being that far back made the water have to SQUUUIIIISSHHH through his esophagus, and it was always the loudest, squishiest gulping noise. I couldn't stand the sound anymore." "This man would text me with no punctuation. One of his literal texts he sent was this: 'okay sounds good I'll be there at 7 maybe idk it depends traffic has been crazy but good day how was yours' I mean, I could understand it, but I'm not finna decode a whole riddle every time I see your text bubble show up." "She said she didn't like cheesecake. I was looking forward to the last slice in the fridge. She ate it because she said there was nothing to eat. The house was full of food, she just didn't want to cook." "We had been dating for a few months. We put on a movie for the kids, and I looked over and he was crying. It was Chicken Run. That was it for me." "I once broke up with a guy because I couldn't stand his laugh. And humor is my biggest turn-on! But his laugh was my biggest turn-off." "I found out his younger sister had the same name and hair color as me. He said and moaned the nickname he also used for her while we were doing the deed, and I couldn't help but think he was into his sister after that." "I dated a guy who looked amazing in real life and on paper. Handsome, tall, rich family, great school, was a doctor, dressed well, super hardworking, and texted back immediately. Literally everything you'd want in a partner. HOWEVER! He chewed very loudly with his mouth open all the time! Like I could fully see the back of his throat, and food would sometimes fall out of his mouth. We actually managed to somehow date each other for months while only going to the restaurant together twice, and I broke up with him after the second time because it gave me the ick to watch him eat." "He was an Android user." "I had started dating a guy who worked at Home Depot. Not my usual type, but he was nice and quite good-looking, so why not? A few weeks in, we were having drinks, and he mentioned that I would never guess his nickname at work. It was Hollywood. As a professional career woman, I and never saw him again." "I broke up with my girlfriend because she would always put on lip gloss before we would make out." "I dumped her because of the sound of her voice. She was perfect in every way. Smart, funny, and beautiful. And we had so much in common. But I just couldn't stand listening to her talk. We broke up, and a year later, we met again, and I couldn't imagine why in the world I broke up with such a perfect creature. But one week later, I knew: it was the voice. I felt terrible about it, but I knew we couldn't stay together." "I am Mexican with a large family. When I was 18, I was dating another Mexican with a large family. One weekend, we attended a family event for me on Saturday. There was drinking, eating, and so on. On Sunday, we were at a family event for her, and all the same stuff was happening. I realized I would be doubling the family nonsense I already deal with, and doubling it was not something I wanted. I broke up with her." "Bro really had the audacity to tell me he didn't like my cat." And finally, "I didn't dump the guy, but he dumped me. We had an amazing lunch date. Went shopping for a few things. It was still early in the day, so we headed back to my house to hang out. We got back to my house, and he had 'an emergency.' He had two young kids, and I was like OK, cool, I'll talk to you later. He sent me a text about a half hour later, saying he didn't see our relationship going anywhere because I didn't 'need' him. I asked what he meant, and he said, 'You didn't ask me to hold any of your stuff when we were shopping, and you knew what you were looking for at Home Depot.' I guess being able to take care of myself is a problem?" What's the pettiest reason you dumped someone? Tell us in the comments or use the anonymous form below:
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Mark Zuckerberg surfs in bald eagle costume for viral Fourth of July stunt: ‘Sam Altman would never'
Mark Zuckerberg may be a billionaire tech mogul, but his Fourth of July antics prove he's still just a kid at heart. The CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, spent the holiday in a full-body inflatable bald eagle costume and shared a now-viral video of himself wakesurfing in the getup with his millions of followers over the weekend. The clip, posted to Instagram and Facebook on Friday, July 4, opens with Zuckerberg sitting down on a moving boat, holding an American flag and nodding his head, not yet covered by the costume. 'Is this the stupidest thing we've done so far?' an off-camera voice asks, before Zuckerberg hops onto the board fully suited up in his patriotic outfit. The video then cuts to him surfing, with his arms outstretched to show off the red, white and blue fringed wings of his costume as the song 'America, F— Yeah,' from the 2004 comedy 'Team America: World Police,' plays. His video has received 961,000 likes since it was posted, and has garnered a number of impressed comments from Zuckerberg's followers. 'Didn't think he'd be able to one-up last year's post but he did,' wrote content creator Kagan Dunlap, referencing Zuckerberg's similar Independence Day stunt from last year, during which he surfed in a suit and bowtie while holding a beer in one hand and an American flag in the other. That comment also received a like from Zuckerberg, along with more than 6,500 others. While Zuckerberg didn't tag the location of his post, many fans speculate the clip was filmed in Lake Tahoe, where Zuckerberg is building a seven-building compound. On Saturday, July 5, the Facebook founder shared another holiday-themed video, this time accompanied by his friends as they pretend to be Marvel's Avengers. The clip was recorded backwards to make it appear as though each individual is jumping out of the water, and is set to audio from the superhero film series in which Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, delivers the iconic line: 'Avengers, assemble.' Zuckerberg wore a long sleeve shirt that resembled Captain America's suit, while one friend was dressed as Uncle Sam and another wore the same bald eagle costume from his previous post. Zuckerberg has developed a reputation for his elaborate stunts over the years, though many have been romantic gestures for his wife, Priscilla Chan. In February, he borrowed singer Benson Boone's skintight Grammy jumpsuit to serenade Chan on her birthday, and in 2024 he went viral for commissioning a seven-foot-tall teal blue sculpture in her likeness.
