Although moviegoers are now allowed to bring certain types of food into theaters, the Consumers' Foundation yesterday said viewers are often confused because there is no standard on what type of food they are allowed.
Several movie theaters used to forbid customers from bringing their own food into the theaters, forcing customers to buy food and beverages at concession stands. However, in February, the Government Information Office (GIO) said that movie theaters had no right to prohibit customers from bringing in their own snacks. The GIO added that movie theaters must not charge customers a “cleaning fee” if they choose to bring their own snacks.
Exceptions to this rule include food and drinks that could affect the viewing pleasure of other guests, such as foods that make loud noises or give off strong smells, including fried chicken and stinky tofu.
However, a recent survey of 15 movie theaters around the country conducted by the consumer rights watchdog showed that each one interprets the rule differently, confusing consumers.
Three movie theaters prohibit customers from bringing their own “hot food.”
It is unreasonable to prohibit all kinds of “hot food,” even if they do not give off a strong smell, foundation secretary-general Hwang Yu-sheng (黃鈺生) said.
“Movie theaters that prohibit customers from bringing hot food sell hot food themselves [at concession stands], such as hot dogs and french fries. This double standard is unfair to consumers,” he said.
Aside from double standards, several movie theaters have constructed elaborate lists of the type of food and beverages that are not allowed inside the theaters, from crepes to pot stickers, hamburgers, fried chicken, alcoholic beverages, soup, luwei (滷味, snacks slow-cooked with soy sauce and herbs), betel nut, rice, noodles and more.
“The exceptions to the rule should not cover such a wide range that consumers have no choice but to purchase food at concession stands,” Hwang said.
The foundation urged authorities to step up inspections and order movie theaters to make improvements if they impose unfair restrictions on customers.
A small number of Taiwanese this year lost their citizenship rights after traveling in China and obtaining a one-time Chinese passport to cross the border into Russia, a source said today. The people signed up through Chinese travel agencies for tours of neighboring Russia with companies claiming they could obtain Russian visas and fast-track border clearance, the source said on condition of anonymity. The travelers were actually issued one-time-use Chinese passports, they said. Taiwanese are prohibited from holding a Chinese passport or household registration. If found to have a Chinese ID, they may lose their resident status under Article 9-1
PROCEDURE: Although there is already a cross-strait agreement in place for the extradition of criminals, ample notice is meant to be given to the other side first Ten Taiwanese who were involved in fraud-related crimes in China were extradited back to Taiwan via Kinmen County on Wednesday, four of whom are convicted fraudsters in Taiwan. The 10 people arrived via a ferry operating between Xiamen and Kinmen, also known as the “small three links.” The Kinmen County Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that four of the 10 extradited people were convicted in Taiwan for committing fraud and contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and were on the wanted list. They were immediately arrested upon arrival and sent to Kinmen Prison to serve their sentences following brief questioning, the office said.
PROBLEMATIC APP: Citing more than 1,000 fraud cases, the government is taking the app down for a year, but opposition voices are calling it censorship Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday decried a government plan to suspend access to Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu (小紅書) for one year as censorship, while the Presidential Office backed the plan. The Ministry of the Interior on Thursday cited security risks and accusations that the Instagram-like app, known as Rednote in English, had figured in more than 1,700 fraud cases since last year. The company, which has about 3 million users in Taiwan, has not yet responded to requests for comment. “Many people online are already asking ‘How to climb over the firewall to access Xiaohongshu,’” Cheng posted on
Taiwanese were praised for their composure after a video filmed by Taiwanese tourists capturing the moment a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Japan’s Aomori Prefecture went viral on social media. The video shows a hotel room shaking violently amid Monday’s quake, with objects falling to the ground. Two Taiwanese began filming with their mobile phones, while two others held the sides of a TV to prevent it from falling. When the shaking stopped, the pair calmly took down the TV and laid it flat on a tatami mat, the video shows. The video also captured the group talking about the safety of their companions bathing
RSS