The government is to closely monitor the legislative process on a potential ban of TikTok by the US Congress and take the opinions of all stakeholders into consideration, Executive Yuan spokesperson Lin Tze-luen (林子倫) said yesterday.
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill asking the short-form video hosting service to divest shares owned by its parent company ByteDance in six months or face a comprehensive ban in the US.
The US Senate has yet to deliberate on the bill.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
US President Joe Biden said that he would sign the bill into law if Congress passes it.
Authoritarian regimes frequently abuse freedom of speech in liberal democracies and manipulate election results through social media, Lin said.
TikTok has in some countries become a platform on which cognitive warfare is conducted, he added.
“We have been aware of the risks of accessing TikTok. As such, all government agencies in Taiwan have been banned from using the app since 2019,” Lin said.
The government would ensure freedom of speech in Taiwan would be protected, he added.
“Fake and false information on TikTok has harmed people’s fame, health and privacy, and affected social stability and national security, so democratic nations must be cautious in handling the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation,” Lin said.
Aside from banning government agencies from using TikTok, national security officials have warned that TikTok could pose a threat to national security, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Lee Huai-jen (李懷仁) said.
“We have asked that TikTok, like Meta, Google, Line and X, have a representative in Taiwan whom we can contact when there is a need for direct communication. The company would be quickly informed if any illegality was found by the platform,” Lee said.
Banning the use of TikTok would be a major policy change, Lee said, adding that the Executive Yuan would evaluate its legality and feasibility and make a final decision following interdepartmental meetings.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
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