Illicit groups on messaging platform offer explicit content for a fee, with an emphasis on anonymity.
Singapore – A surge of secretive Telegram channels is now offering explicit sexual content for a one-time payment, typically under $100. These private groups, some resembling the infamous SG Nasi Lemak channel, share videos and images featuring Singaporean women performing sex acts.
While SG Nasi Lemak, notorious for distributing similar content, was shut down in October 2019, these new channels have evolved by operating in the shadows. By adopting the “channel” format, they limit visibility, preventing subscribers from seeing or interacting with one another. They also use strict quotas to limit membership and avoid detection.
Content in these groups is typically of young women, some allegedly including victims of revenge pornography and hidden-camera footage from places like changing rooms. The content is regularly updated and is available only to those who pay the admission fee.
These channels operate covertly, advertising on Telegram and featuring previews to entice potential subscribers. Access to one such group reportedly costs $50, and payment can be made through services like PayLah or direct bank transfers.
While the administrators of these channels promise full anonymity to users, their actions violate Singapore’s strict laws against circulating obscene materials. Offenders can face penalties of up to three months’ jail, a fine, or both. Possessing obscene films can lead to up to six months in prison and fines as high as $20,000.
The proliferation of such illicit channels has led authorities to investigate, with previous crackdowns, such as the SG Nasi Lemak incident, resulting in arrests and convictions of individuals involved in distributing explicit content online.
