Taiwan Security Agency Tells Lawmakers Disputed and Fake Online Items Topped 2.5 Million in the First Nine Months, Up About 48 Percent Year on Year
Taipei — More than 2.5 million pieces of disputed or false online information originating in mainland China and targeting Taiwan were recorded in the first nine months of 2026, up about 48 percent from over 1.69 million a year earlier, according to a report by Taiwan's National Security Bureau presented to lawmakers, reported by Reuters on October 21.
The report said the material focused on energy, food security, defence policy and the images of specific candidates, ahead of November local elections for mayors and county magistrates. Tactics described included narratives from official media amplified by online troll armies and public-relations firms, content farms, SI-generated videos, fake accounts and coordinated comment flooding.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Beijing has previously denied interfering in Taiwan's elections or spreading disinformation. The figures are the Taiwan security agency's own tally, presented here alongside Beijing's stated position.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 台北总统府。图：CEphoto, Uwe Aranas，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 3.0。 / The Presidential Office Building in Taipei. Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
