The National Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday denied that it had asked fitness studio owner Holger Chen (陳之漢) to take down online videos, saying the commission neither censors nor monitors online content.
Chen frequently posts videos on Facebook and his YouTube channel in which he gives advice on how to stay fit mixed with commentaries on current affairs.
In a live broadcast on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Chen accused the Institute of Watch Internet Network (iWIN) — a private agency that serves as an intermediary between the government and the public on disputes over online content — of meddling with his videos.
Photo: screen grab from Facebook
He said that iWIN had asked him to post a warning in his videos about the use of obscene language that might not be appropriate for people under 18.
He asked why iWIN did not spend more time targeting Internet pornography.
In response, iWIN said it received public complaints on March 24 and on Sunday about Chen’s videos, specifically the repeated use of obscene language, which they said is not suitable for children or teenagers.
The institute said it called up Chen’s office and left a message with a staffer, suggesting that he include an age restriction warning in his YouTube videos.
It also cited Article 46-1 of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法), which states that no one should spread or transmit content that is harmful to the physical or mental health of children and young people on the Internet, or allow them to obtain or watch such content without taking clear and workable protective measures or conforming to the protective measures of Internet platform providers.
The institute reiterated that it never said that what Chen did was illegal, but only expressed the hope that he would join it in protecting children and teenagers from harmful online content.
The NCC said that iWIN is an agency jointly established by the commission and other government agencies, including the ministries of education, culture and economic affairs, to take in public complaints about online content and relay them to the agencies in charge.
However, iWIN does not have any administrative authority to determine if certain online content is illegal, the commission said.
The commission said that iWIN had sought the opinion of the Taipei Department of Social Welfare before calling Chen’s office and suggesting that he post a warning in his online videos.
iWIN did not ask Chen to change or remove his videos, the commission said, adding that the institute had recorded its conversation with Chen’s employee.
“Taiwan is a democratic country that is ruled by the law. The government does not censor online content before it is published, nor will it monitor online comments or ask people who make those comments to take them down,” the commission said.
“However, government agencies will step in if the content infringes the law,” it added.
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