k_kiki 
Prosecutors have recently taken decisive action in the YouTuber ecosystem.
YouTubers are under investigation for allegedly blackmailing Tzuyang, a mukbang(eating show) YouTuber with 10 million subscribers, by threatening to expose her personal life to extort money.
Prosecutors will treat the profits YouTubers make from spreading falsehoods or malicious content as criminal proceeds and actively seek to recover them.
This move addresses the issue that existing criminal penalties often result in only small fines. This policy applies to both famous YouTubers and ordinary people who profit from false information.
In addition, prosecutors are taking action against a YouTube channel called “Deportation Camp” for spreading falsehoods. These actions aim to encourage YouTubers to create content more responsibly.
Other YouTubers are also being investigated for threats and defamation, with a YouTuber with 300,000 subscribers recently arrested and charged with extortion and defamation under the Communications Decency Act. This could be interpreted as a strong signal to discourage reckless behavior across the YouTube ecosystem.
The revenue structure of YouTubers varies widely, with some popular YouTubers earning upwards of KRW 100 million per month, while many struggle with an uncertain revenue structure, demonstrating the importance of continuous content discovery and quality content.
The prosecution’s actions are an attempt to clean up the lawlessness in the YouTube ecosystem and aim to encourage YouTubers to create content more responsibly.
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