Offices tasked with combating cyberthreats are to be established in Taiwan’s six special municipalities, judicial authorities said on Wednesday amid reports that China has been using artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital tools to manipulate public opinion ahead of the presidential and legislative elections in January next year.
The dissemination of false reports and disinformation online, most of it originating outside of Taiwan, has intensified with the intention of meddling in the elections, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement.
To ensure fairness and public trust in the election process, head prosecutors in the six special municipalities — Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung — would take charge of the centers, which would boost efforts to counter election disinformation, and other online efforts to improperly influence political and societal issues, Prosecutor-General Hsing Tai-chao (邢泰釗) said at a workshop organized by the prosecutors’ offices of New Taipei City and Taoyuan.
Photo courtesy of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, which is headed by Kao Yi-shu (高一書), would handle major incidents of disinformation, Hsing said.
The six centers would have prosecutorial and indictment powers based on amendments passed this year to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), the statement said.
Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥), Investigation Bureau Director Wang Jyun-li (王俊力) and top officials from the Agency Against Corruption, the National Police Agency and the National Immigration Agency also attended the workshop.
The maximum reward for information leading to a conviction for election interference has been increased to NT$20 million (US$626,763), the statement said, adding that people who have information on possible vote-buying activities, unusual flows of money or illegal betting on election outcomes should contact the offices.
Activity by foreign agents to interfere in election campaigns or affect voters should also be reported, it said.
“We know that hostile foreign nations and organizations controlled by them have sought to meddle in Taiwan’s elections,” Tsai said.
“Investigators have found many sites that contravene election rules, spread disinformation or attempt to manipulate the media,” he said. “Although they often have foreign IP addresses, the law must be applied and evidence must be gathered to combat their influence.”
“The most effective way to prevent vote-buying and illegal cashflows from affecting elections is to take action at the local level and initiate probles,” he said. “Illegal funds, vote-buying and intimidation tactics have already been seen in the run-up to next year’s elections.”
Prosecutors said evidence showed that a post on social media of a former lawmaker talking about possible cooperation between political parties was AI-generated.
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