Taiwan Faces Surge in Disinformation Attacks from China, Reports NSB

Taiwan's National Security Bureau has reported a significant rise in disinformation attacks from China, with cases nearly doubling in 2024. The Chinese Communist Party's tactics target citizens' trust in Taiwan's military, US support, and President William Lai, using platforms like Facebook and TikTok to influence voter behavior and spread propaganda.

In a concerning revelation, Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB) has reported a marked increase in disinformation attacks emanating from China, nearly doubling in frequency in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to a Taipei Times report on Saturday. The NSB attributes these attacks to tactics employed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), aimed at eroding confidence in Taiwan's military, the United States' commitment to Taiwan, and President William Lai.

The report identified 2.159 million incidents of contentious information across various platforms, with Facebook being notably vulnerable, witnessing a 40 percent rise in disinformation from 2023 levels. Other platforms like video-sharing services reported a 151 percent increase, forums soared by 664 percent, and X (formerly Twitter) saw a 244 percent rise. Additionally, the NSB recognized 28,216 suspicious accounts, marking a jump of 11,661 from the previous year.

The data revealed 21,967 such accounts on Facebook, while TikTok, X, and China's Douyin also saw significant surges, indicating that younger internet users are primary targets of disinformation campaigns. The NSB highlighted six prominent tactics used by the CCP, including the dissemination of misleading information across social media to alter voter behavior and affect election outcomes.

(With inputs from agencies.)