Eslite Bookstore yesterday denied allegations that its online store, Eslite.com, had leaked personal data of its customers to entities abroad.
Here I Stand Project deputy executive secretary Yang Hsin-tzu (楊欣慈) on Sunday said that the bookstore might have leaked her information, as she received a telephone call from people spreading Chinese “united front” rhetoric after she purchased the book If China Attacks (阿共打來怎麼辦) from Eslite’s online store in February.
Yang said that she received multiple phone calls from people saying they wanted to speak to her about purchasing a book covering “such a sensitive topic.”
Photo courtesy of Eslite
They spouted Chinese “united front” rhetoric throughout the conversation, she said.
Minister of Digital Development Audrey Tang (唐鳳) yesterday said that the ministry has asked Eslite to respond to the claims.
Eslite said it was conducting an internal investigation.
The ministry would investigate and determine what happened, she said, adding that it is also working to introduce mechanisms, such as steganography and zero-trust security architecture, to prevent such incidents.
Shih Wei-jen (施偉仁), deputy head of the Administration for Digital Industries’ Platform Economy Division, said that the agency hopes to conclude its investigation into the incident within two weeks — in line with the Executive Yuan’s policy to combat scammers.
Eslite would be fined if it is found to have contravened the regulations, Shih said.
Elite said in a statement that it would work with investigators and step up information security measures.
Its online store gives customers a greater variety of products to choose from, and none of the data the platform generates are connected to overseas servers, it said.
Its system are maintained by third-party information technology professionals, it said.
Over the past year, the company has sent nearly 8 million text messages and e-mails warning people about phishing and scam calls, it said.
Such incidents are likely to be politicized ahead of the presidential election next year, it said, adding that it believed the ministry would handle the incident in a fair and just manner.
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