TikTok a national security risk
A deepfake video of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) recently spread on TikTok and Line in Taiwan. Ker filed a complaint with the authorities and urged the public not to share the video.
TikTok is a tool for cognitive warfare by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and it has escalated its efforts. While the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) camps in the legislature passed three controversial bills, Ker held a news conference criticizing the KMT and TPP for endangering the nation and disrupting governance.
Meanwhile, a video with simplified Chinese subtitles, a Chinese-accented voiceover and content slandering the ruling DPP appeared on TikTok. Although those with discerning eyes could immediately recognize it as a fake, its provocative nature, rapid release and intent to mislead are alarming.
Taiwan should take the influence of TikTok seriously and observe how other countries regulate the platform. The US and EU have banned the use of TikTok on government devices due to concerns user data collected by the platform could be transmitted to the Chinese government, posing a threat to national security. The UK found that TikTok breached data privacy laws and might have improperly used data from young users. For security reasons, it has also banned TikTok on government devices. India banned TikTok due to its content inciting social unrest, promoting violence and negatively affecting mental health. Albania announced a one-year ban on TikTok that started on Saturday, citing concerns over the harmful effects of violent videos on teenagers.
The main argument against a ban is that it could harm freedom of speech in democratic countries. However, the CCP is exploiting the shield of free speech to undermine democracies. Taiwan should prioritize national security over freedom of speech, as freedom cannot exist without a secure nation.
Moreover, freedom of speech does not equate to unrestricted use of technology. Allowing TikTok to freely exploit user data in Taiwan creates significant vulnerabilities in national security and individual privacy.
Social media is not limited to TikTok — Taiwan offers a diverse range of alternatives, such as Instagram, Threads and YouTube. The reasons to ban TikTok go beyond its role as a tool for CCP political warfare. Its negative impact on mental health and the spread of misinformation undermine Taiwan’s stability and serve as evidence for international restrictions on TikTok. Taiwan must take decisive action to incorporate a TikTok ban into its long-term strategy for sustainable security.
Chan Jen-hsin
Taoyuan
Weeks into the craze, nobody quite knows what to make of the OpenClaw mania sweeping China, marked by viral photos of retirees lining up for installation events and users gathering in red claw hats. The queues and cosplay inspired by the “raising a lobster” trend make for irresistible China clickbait. However, the West is fixating on the least important part of the story. As a consumer craze, OpenClaw — the AI agent designed to do tasks on a user’s behalf — would likely burn out. Without some developer background, it is too glitchy and technically awkward for true mainstream adoption,
Out of 64 participating universities in this year’s Stars Program — through which schools directly recommend their top students to universities for admission — only 19 filled their admissions quotas. There were 922 vacancies, down more than 200 from last year; top universities had 37 unfilled places, 40 fewer than last year. The original purpose of the Stars Program was to expand admissions to a wider range of students. However, certain departments at elite universities that failed to meet their admissions quotas are not improving. Vacancies at top universities are linked to students’ program preferences on their applications, but inappropriate admission
Taiwan-South Korea relations face a critical test, as a deadline forces both sides to confront a long-simmering issue. Taipei has requested that Seoul correct its classification of Taiwan in South Korea’s e-arrival system, where it has been labeled as “China (Taiwan)” since Feb. 24 last year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs set today as a clear deadline for revision, warning that failure to act would trigger reciprocal measures beginning tomorrow. Taipei has already signaled its willingness to respond. Beginning on March 1, the government changed the designation of South Koreans on the alien resident certificates from the “Republic of Korea” to “South
On Monday, a group of bipartisan US senators arrived in Taiwan to support the nation’s special defense bill to counter Chinese threats. At the same time, Beijing announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) had invited Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) to visit China, a move to make the KMT a pawn in its proxy warfare against Taiwan and the US. Since her inauguration as KMT chair last year, Cheng, widely seen as a pro-China figure, has made no secret of her desire to interact with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and meet with Xi, naming it a
RSS