The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday called on the government to amend the National Security Act (國家安全法) and look into drafting legislation to counter false information on the Internet.
The party also called on people to refrain from spreading false information from dummy accounts aiming to affect the political sphere.
Former TSU legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) told a news conference that the government’s laissez-faire attitude regarding false information on the Internet has allowed the proliferation of pro-China commentary.
Photo: Su Fang-ho, Taipei Times
Accusations and reports by pro-Chinese commentators a month away from the Nov. 24 nine-in-one elections are worrying, Chou said.
The situation, if left unchecked, could topple Taiwanese society, Chou said.
On Oct. 18, Scott Busby, deputy assistant secretary of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, told the Global Counter Terrorism Forum Workshop in Taipei: “We also recognize that disinformation is a threat to all democracies.”
TSU Director of Social Activity Ou Yang Jui-lien (歐陽瑞蓮) likened the presence of foreign disinformation to an intruder entering a residence.
Ou Yang cited a report by Mirror Media on Wednesday that said IP addresses linked to accounts promoting political parties and candidates originated in the Netherlands, Japan and Venezuela, and used simplified Chinese characters.
TSU spokesperson Yeh Chih-yuan (葉智遠) said China’s “red force” was ubiquitous and as the vote draws closer, its rhetoric would become more fiery.
Yeh called on the government to amend the act as soon as possible and to consider anti-“united front” and anti-infiltration legislation.
“We must punish traitors among us and counter disinformation from China to ensure the safety of Taiwanese democracy,” Yeh said.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
Snow fell on Yushan (Jade Mountain, 玉山) yesterday morning as a continental cold air mass sent temperatures below freezing on Taiwan’s tallest peak, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Snowflakes were seen on Yushan’s north peak from 6:28am to 6:38am, but they did not fully cover the ground and no accumulation was recorded, the CWA said. As of 7:42am, the lowest temperature recorded across Taiwan was minus-5.5°C at Yushan’s Fengkou observatory and minus-4.7°C at the Yushan observatory, CWA data showed. On Hehuanshan (合歡山) in Nantou County, a low of 1.3°C was recorded at 6:39pm, when ice pellets fell at Songsyue Lodge (松雪樓), a