The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) yesterday inaugurated the Cognitive Warfare Research Center dedicated to studying the threat of online disinformation to Taiwan’s democracy and security.
Foreign hostile forces produced and disseminated forged videos, fabricated news and doctored images to stir up controversy to influence the outcome of Saturday’s presidential and legislative elections, MJIB Director-General Wang Chun-li (王俊力) said at the bureau’s headquarters in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店).
Methods to combat these new forms of computer-based information warfare are needed, after the nation came under escalating attacks in recent months with disinformation about government policies, national defense, foreign affairs and cross-strait relations, as well as issues relating to the economy and people’s livelihoods, Wang said.
Photo courtesy of the Investigation Bureau
The materials were created by cyberarmies and content farms, then circulated on social media and messaging platforms via trolls, zombie accounts and online influencers, Wang said.
“People have reported that they mainly targeted government agencies, political parties, and certain officials and legislators, using defamation and smear tactics to mislead the public, sow doubt and erode public confidence in the government,” he added.
The new center combines the resources and professional expertise of the MJIB’s Information Security, Cross-Strait Research and Internal Security Investigation units, Wang said.
“Taiwan has experienced more intense and frequent attacks by foreign hostile forces, aiming to subvert Taiwan’s democracy, undermine trust in the government, and enhancing threats and dangers to national security,” Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥) said in his address.
The center is composed of three divisions: data compilation and research, analysis of cognitive warfare targeting Taiwan and a swift response unit to combat fake news, Wang said.
Cyberexperts will constantly monitor data to root out fake and zombie accounts, work in real time to contact proprietors of social media platforms to remove fake news and videos, and publish statements to inform the public.
Separately, the Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday confirmed that it had set up a communication channel with TikTok and had reported 33 suspected fabricated videos related to the elections.
CEC officials added that they have filed for judicial investigation of 25 videos alleging voter fraud to cast doubt on the election outcome.
These videos have been doctored and provide no concrete proof of election rigging, the CEC said, adding that representatives from major parties and media outlets were present during the vote count.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Statebuilding Party leader Wang Hsin-huan (王興煥) blasted the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) “ostrich hiding its head in the sand” approach to fake news and cyberattacks from China.
“Over the years, we have repeatedly warned the DPP government about China’s expansion and growing influence in using TikTok videos and social media platforms to destabilize Taiwan’s democracy, create social strife and sow division within Taiwan,” Wang Hsin-huan said.
“Unfortunately, our sound warnings and requests to ban TikTok and Chinese-based social media and messaging apps went unheeded. We saw the Ministry of Digital Affairs and its head, Audrey Tang (唐鳳), the National Communications Commission, the Ministry of Culture and even our national security agencies faced such grave danger with a lax attitude ... taking no action on these serious threats to our nation,” he said.
Additional reporting by Lee Wen-hsin
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