AI-generated fake images used in disinformation campaign against Taiwanese baseball fans
AI-generated fake images falsely showing Taiwanese baseball fans leaving garbage at Tokyo Dome were spread during the 2026 World Baseball Classic by accounts linked to Chinese Communist Party overseas operations and amplified by a Taiwanese content farm, though Japanese media verification later exposed them as fabricated.
What happened
During the 2026 World Baseball Classic, multiple social media accounts spread images purporting to show Taiwanese baseball fans leaving large quantities of garbage at Tokyo Dome. A post by account '徐芳麗' on X platform shared a photo showing scattered lunch boxes, bottles, and cleaning staff, claiming to document the alleged mess left by Taiwan fans.
Japanese media investigated and verified that the images were AI-generated fakes. The chairs, signage, and other details in the photos did not match the actual Tokyo Dome venue. Taiwan's Investigation Bureau had previously identified the '徐芳麗' account as a 'chronic disinformation spreader' with an IP address in Hong Kong, linked to Chinese Communist Party overseas operations.
Reported impact
The fabricated images were spread across multiple social media platforms and were picked up by some Taiwan media outlets, which reported them as real incidents and criticized Taiwanese people, amplifying the disinformation. In reality, Japanese observers praised Taiwanese fans for cleaning up after themselves before leaving the venue.
Index analysis
The disinformation campaign followed a documented pattern: AI-generated fake images were created, then shared by accounts traced to Chinese Communist Party-linked actors, and subsequently distributed by local content farms such as LIFE 生活網. This domestic amplification allowed false information to spread more effectively through existing local social networks.
The LIFE 生活網 content farm operates numerous local community groups across Taiwan and typically distributes lifestyle content before becoming a disinformation collaborator during strategic moments. Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Chu-yin characterized the campaign as part of a broader cognitive warfare strategy timed to coincide with Taiwan's international sporting success.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.