The artificial intelligence (AI) development of generative pretrained transformers (GPTs) brings great convenience, but all is not rosy. Tesla chief executive officer and Open AI cofounder Elon Musk recently called for a six-month suspension of developing any AI model more powerful than GPT-4.
He drew attention to the ethical problems raised by these AI models, saying they should be inspected case by case. A set of safety protocols concerning AI designs and development should be established and implemented, and these protocols should be examined and overseen by independent experts to ensure that AI technologies remain a force for good.
China’s Baidu Inc and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd are utilizing their enormous financial and human resources as well as databases to build AI chatbot services. Given that GPT can effectively lower the costs of producing and disseminating political propaganda on social media, propagandists no longer need to create new accounts to spread fake news. Consequently, it would be more difficult to detect whether information warfare has been launched, and even harder to determine its source.
The situation in the Taiwan Strait is tense. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to harass Taiwan with military aircraft and cognitive warfare through the dissemination of fake news.
The government has already banned the use of some apps, such as TikTok, on public-sector devices out of security concerns.
However, given the need for regulation of fake news on large platforms such as Facebook or Sina Weibo, it is extremely regrettable that the passage of the draft digital intermediary service act was halted.
The spread of fake news is supported by its seemingly persuasive content and the vast size of online platforms, which can dramatically increase the reach of fabricated news, Georgetown University professor Ronald Goodstein said.
Through social media algorithms, fake news is transmitted within smaller groups of people, creating filter bubbles, he said, adding that before any mechanism of rational discussion can be instigated, the damage caused by the spread of fake news would already have been done.
This results in the public unable to differentiate fake news from fact, and the counterbalancing influences of debate is not effectively enacted.
Taiwan should refer to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) as a legislative precedent. The DSA’s articles 9 and 10 specify that if authorities discover “illegal content” on an online platform, they can order its providers to remove it. Moreover, when a court ruling or an administrative agency orders providers to offer assistance, they must comply.
The DSA also requires the regulation of online platforms with more than 45 million users. These providers are subject to inspection, and they must submit transparency reports or establish credible informant mechanisms.
The moment of integration of GPT with mega online platforms has arrived.
However, Taiwan faces serious fake news attacks that are more severe than European countries and the US. Digital laws must be revised to handle them. Considering the national security circumstances, hopefully legislators will emulate the spirit of the DSA and amend the draft digital intermediary service act with a more open-minded attitude.
If some controversial articles can be revised or deleted, the rest of the draft act is worth promoting.
Chao Hsuey-wen is an assistant professor and holds a doctorate in law from Fu Jen Catholic University.
Translated by Emma Liu
Lockheed Martin on Tuesday responded to concerns over delayed shipments of F-16V Block 70 jets, saying it had added extra shifts on its production lines to accelerate progress. The Ministry of National Defense on Monday said that delivery of all 66 F-16V Block 70 jets — originally expected by the end of next year — would be pushed back due to production line relocations and global supply chain disruptions. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that Taiwan and the US are working to resolve the delays, adding that 50 of the aircraft are in production, with 10 scheduled for flight
Victory in conflict requires mastery of two “balances”: First, the balance of power, and second, the balance of error, or making sure that you do not make the most mistakes, thus helping your enemy’s victory. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has made a decisive and potentially fatal error by making an enemy of the Jewish Nation, centered today in the State of Israel but historically one of the great civilizations extending back at least 3,000 years. Mind you, no Israeli leader has ever publicly declared that “China is our enemy,” but on October 28, 2025, self-described Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) propaganda
On Sunday, 13 new urgent care centers (UCC) officially began operations across the six special municipalities. The purpose of the centers — which are open from 8am to midnight on Sundays and national holidays — is to reduce congestion in hospital emergency rooms, especially during the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year. It remains to be seen how effective these centers would be. For one, it is difficult for people to judge for themselves whether their condition warrants visiting a major hospital or a UCC — long-term public education and health promotions are necessary. Second, many emergency departments acknowledge
Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian (薛劍) on Saturday last week shared a news article on social media about Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan, adding that “the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off.” The previous day in the Japanese House of Representatives, Takaichi said that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a situation threatening Japan’s survival,” a reference to a legal legal term introduced in 2015 that allows the prime minister to deploy the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The violent nature of Xue’s comments is notable in that it came from a diplomat,
RSS