My body is not your Porn: Identifying Trends of Harm and Oppression through a Sociotechnical Genealogy of Digital Sexual Violence in South Korea

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Authors: Inha Cha, Yeonju Jang, Haesoo Kim, Joo Young Park, Seora Park, EunJeong Cheon

Published: 2026-02-18 20:32:23+00:00

AI Summary

This paper analyzes the persistent problem of digital sexual violence (DSV) in South Korea, tracing its evolution across four eras from the 1990s to the mid-2020s through a sociotechnical genealogy. Drawing from media coverage, legal documents, and academic literature, it identifies three interconnected dimensions of harm: the homosocial fabrication of obscenity, the increasing imperceptibility of violence facilitated by technology, and the commercialization of abuse through decentralized economic infrastructures.

Abstract

Ever since the introduction of internet technologies in South Korea, digital sexual violence (DSV) has been a persistent and pervasive problem. Evolving alongside digital technologies, the severity and scale of violence have grown consistently, leading to widespread public concern. In this paper, we present four eras of image-based DSV in South Korea, spanning from the early internet era of the 1990s to the deepfake scandals in the mid-2020s. Drawing from media coverage, legal documents, and academic literature, we elucidate forms and characteristics of DSV cases in each era, tracing how entrenched misogyny is reconfigured and amplified through evolving technologies, alongside shifting legislative measures. Taking a genealogical approach to read prominent cases of different eras, our analysis identifies three constitutive and interconnected dimensions of DSV: (1) the homo-social fabrication of obscenity, wherein victims' imagery becomes collectively framed as obscene through participatory practices in male-dominant networks; (2) the increasing imperceptibility of violence, as technologies foreclose victims' ability to perceive harm; and (3) the commercialization of abuse through decentralized economic infrastructures. We suggest future directions for CSCW research, and further reflect on the value of the genealogical method in enabling non-linear understanding of DSV as dynamically evolving sociotechnical configurations of harm.

Key findings
The analysis reveals three interconnected dimensions of DSV: the homosocial fabrication of 'obscenity' through male-dominant online networks; the increasing imperceptibility of violence as technology forecloses victims' ability to detect harm; and the large-scale commercialization and industrialization of gender-based violence through decentralized economic infrastructures like virtual currencies and generative AI. These dimensions highlight how underlying misogyny persists and adapts through evolving sociotechnical configurations of harm.
Approach
The authors employ a sociotechnical genealogical approach, analyzing media coverage, legal documents, and academic literature to trace the historical evolution and recurring patterns of image-based digital sexual violence in South Korea. They identify four distinct eras and analyze how technology, culture, and legislation co-constitute the phenomenon, focusing on underlying dynamics rather than isolated incidents.
Datasets
Legal documents (e.g., Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment etc. of Sexual Crimes), news and media reports (e.g., Hankyoreh, JTBC, Hankook Ilbo, 'Beyond N' project, 'Ppatti' deepfake scandal timeline), and prior academic research (47 relevant papers from various fields).
Model(s)
UNKNOWN
Author countries
USA, Sweden
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