Taiwan politician sues over deepfake intimate images
Cao Xingcheng, founder of United Microelectronics Corporation and a leading figure in a campaign to recall a legislator, sued commentator Xie Hanbing on February 18, 2025, alleging that intimate photographs publicly attributed to him were AI-generated deepfakes and seeking 100 million New Taiwan dollars in damages. The incident occurred amid broader concerns about China's use of deepfake technology to interfere in Taiwan's 2024 presidential election.
What happened
Commentator Xie Hanbing publicly disclosed intimate photographs of Cao Xingcheng, founder of United Microelectronics Corporation, and alleged they showed evidence of extramarital relations from over a decade prior.
Cao Xingcheng stated through a formal declaration on February 18 that the intimate photographs were AI-synthesized deepfakes and announced he was filing criminal and civil lawsuits against Xie Hanbing.
Reported impact
Cao Xingcheng sought 100 million New Taiwan dollars in compensation, with plans to donate any award to a legislative recall campaign in which he is a leading figure.
Democratic Progressive Party legislator Wu Siyao stated she was also a victim of deepfake imagery and called the use of synthetic intimate images to attack individuals 'intolerable illegal conduct in a democratic society.'
Index analysis
Former Democratic Party central committee member Zhang Yizhan asked ChatGPT to analyze the photographs; ChatGPT responded that the images could be AI-generated or heavily modified through deepfake or AI image generation technology.
Analyst Ge Rujun noted that deepfake detection tools available online lack decisive evidence, and 99% of such tools are reportedly fraudulent, potentially stealing personal information or compromising computers.
Governance controls
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Director Qiu Chuizheng stated on February 18 that China commonly uses deepfake technology and AI to spread false information and disrupt Taiwan's democratic processes, characterizing this as a 'common tactic' of Chinese United Front work.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.