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Taiwan’s CEC battles misinformation on TikTok
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has filed 105 complaints with TikTok regarding false or misleading election-related content, with 10 made before the election and 95 following it. As of now, 54 of the posts have been taken down, and the cases are ongoing. TikTok has been circulating a substantial amount of inaccurate or untruthful audio-visual information related to the election. The CEC Vice Chairman, Chen Chao-chien, explained that candidates have the right to request the removal of deepfake videos under the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, as well as the Public Officials Election and Recall Act. Online social platforms have also established contact channels with the CEC to prevent false or misleading election-related content, in line with their community principles and for the sake of fair elections. The CEC has declined to comment or respond on specific online platforms on a case-by-case basis.2024/01/22 18:37 -
CEC imposes ban on poll data discussion ahead of elections
The Central Election Commission in Taiwan announces a comprehensive ban on publicizing, discussing, or referring to poll data in the lead-up to the General Election, aiming to ensure fairness and impartiality in the electoral process.2024/01/03 19:35 -
CEC clears DPP’s Hsiao of dual nationality claims
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has denied media reports questioning the past nationality of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim. The CEC requested verification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior regarding the nationality status of presidential candidates, and found no records of nationality restoration or naturalization for Hsiao. The CEC emphasized that all candidates met the legal requirements without holding foreign nationality, as determined by the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. The doubts raised about Hsiao’s nationality were deemed beyond the CEC’s legal mandate, preventing further investigation.2023/12/16 16:49 -
17 arrested for virtual currency election bets
Yunlin County Police Bureau cracked down on an illegal gambling operation that accepted bets on the outcome of the presidential election using virtual currency. Seventeen bettors were arrested, and police confiscated approximately NT$171,661 in gambling funds. The individuals were arrested for violating the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. Eight of those detained were released after questioning, but the remaining nine were retained for further summons. The illicit betting was discovered when the Yunlin police’s internet patrol unit spotted a decentralized betting platform called Polymarket, which had set up betting pools for three presidential candidates. The online players could place bets on event outcomes using USDC, a virtual currency, from their own digital wallets.2023/12/16 14:49 -
Tainan police bust NT$6.55M election betting ring
Tainan police have arrested six individuals involved in a gambling ring on a Facebook group, which was taking bets on the 2024 General Election outcomes totaling over NT$6.55 million. The case has been handed over to the Tainan District Prosecutors Office for investigation under several acts, including the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, the Money Laundering Control Act, and the Anti-Infiltration Act. The ring recruited bettors on Facebook to place wagers on various outcomes related to the forthcoming elections, including potential collaborations between political parties and candidates such as Lai Ching-te, Ko Wen-je, Hou Yu-ih, and Terry Gou. The Tainan City Police Department Criminal Investigation Corps initiated the investigation after spotting the illicit activity online and tracked down suspects across multiple locations. The investigation has revealed that the gambling funds were being converted into Tether (USDT), a popular cryptocurrency stablecoin, by unidentified individuals abroad, and transferred to other gambling organizations, potentially violating election-related gambling laws.2023/12/15 18:16