Taiwanese Legislator Faces Online Attacks After Calling for TikTok Ban
Taiwanese legislator Lin Dai-hua faced online attacks from anonymous accounts after calling for a ban on TikTok and Douyin, reportedly alleging the platforms used deepfake videos to attack political figures including Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief Ke Jian-ming. Multiple legislators reportedly also received threatening letters.
What happened
Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Dai-hua called for banning TikTok and Douyin using anti-infiltration law, alleging the platforms used deepfake videos to smear DPP caucus chief Ke Jian-ming and others.
Following her call for the ban, Lin Dai-hua received online attacks from anonymous accounts. Multiple legislators also received threatening letters threatening harm to Ke Jian-ming and his family.
Reported impact
Lin Dai-hua reported experiencing targeted attacks from fake accounts on social media in response to her advocacy for banning the platforms.
The legislator stated that online misinformation had escalated into real-world threats, requiring comprehensive counter-measures.
Index analysis
TikTok has been banned in India and Nepal due to concerns about data collection for the Chinese government, and many countries prohibit their government staff from using TikTok.
TikTok has reportedly become a channel for Chinese cyber armies to spread false information, including deepfake videos and hate speech that threatened the lives of public figures.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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