Meta, LINE, TikTok, and Google are required to publish transparency reports by the end of the year as part of a government initiative to combat online fraud, Minister of Digital Affairs Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男) said yesterday.
The four firms, which operate six major online platforms — Facebook, Instagram, Line, TikTok, Google and YouTube — are now subject to formal regulatory supervision, Huang said at a news conference marking his first year in office.
The firms submitted fraud prevention plans last month and would receive guidance on implementing those plans and complying with the law, Huang said, adding that the Ministry of Digital Affairs would continue to support the companies in carrying out anti-fraud work.
Photo: Hsu Tzu-ling, Taipei Times
Under the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act (詐欺犯罪危害防制條例), which came into effect at the end of July last year, social media companies are required to verify the identities of advertisers and sponsors, formulate fraud prevention measures and publish regular transparency reports, he said.
The companies are also required to remove fraudulent advertisements within a specified timeframe after receiving official notification, he added.
Responding to questions about TikTok’s progress in appointing a legal representative in Taiwan, a ministry official said the company — whose ties to China have raised national security concerns — has submitted its application.
The review process involves several agencies, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Mainland Affairs Council, and the company’s level of cooperation has been “not bad,” the official said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their