TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An information warfare expert on Tuesday warned that China could use TikTok to undermine morale before a possible invasion.
The Institute of Sociology at Academia Sinica hosted a lecture Monday titled “CCP Propaganda in Taiwan” that included Lee Chih-te (李志德), former head of the Asia Fact Check Lab, per Rti. The event presented findings from collaborative research between Academia Sinica and civil society groups on China’s information warfare tactics.
Lee, who led an investigative project on Chinese propaganda, said Taiwan lacks sufficient legal tools to regulate political messaging online. He called on the government to act before a national security crisis caused by China erupts.
He emphasized Taiwan's unique role in ensuring Mandarin-language information accuracy. However, the country has no legal framework to address coordinated political content linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
He cited the example of CTiTV, which had its broadcast license renewal denied by the National Communications Commission in 2020 and was removed from cable TV. However, the station continued operating online, including on YouTube, where it still shares content with a strong political bias.
Lee added there is evidence CTiTV has produced programs for China’s state-affiliated Haixia TV. He said this illustrates the limits of Taiwan’s regulatory power.
Turning to TikTok, Lee referenced its interference in the US in March 2024 as a warning for Taiwan. Before a House vote on legislation targeting ByteDance, TikTok urged its 170 million users to pressure lawmakers to oppose the bill.
Every user reportedly saw the same in-app message urging them to contact their representative. “In essence, TikTok put on a display of its power in this incident,” Lee said.
The expert said the app poses enormous national security risks during the gray zone conflict phase, a period of coercive measures short of open war. "I have no doubt that, when needed, Taiwanese users could be shown messages saying the military has already surrendered and they should refuse conscription because everyone has already surrendered," warned Lee.
Lee criticized the government’s decision to abandon the proposed Digital Intermediary Services Act. He said the failure to pass the law left Taiwan’s online ecosystem resembling “Gotham City,” infiltrated by powerful crime syndicates, rather than the free and open space it was envisioned to be.
He warned that if Taiwan continues to allow unchecked online behavior in the name of freedom, it may be too late to intervene when a true national security crisis emerges.
