Taiwan bans popular Chinese social media app amid growing number of fraud cases
3 days ago
- #Taiwan-China relations
- #Social media regulation
- #Cybersecurity
- Taiwan has ordered a one-year block of the Chinese-owned social media app Xiaohongshu (RedNote) due to fraud-related concerns and lack of cooperation with authorities.
- Xiaohongshu has 3 million users in Taiwan but is accused of enabling fraud (1,700 cases, $7.9M losses) and potential pro-Beijing disinformation.
- China claims Taiwan as its territory and has threatened annexation by force, heightening tensions over apps like Xiaohongshu and TikTok.
- Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior cited legal obstacles due to Xiaohongshu’s refusal to share data, calling it a 'malicious platform' beyond oversight.
- Global concerns over Chinese apps include data security risks, censorship, and disinformation, leading to bans in the US, India, and EU nations.
- Taiwan previously banned Xiaohongshu and TikTok on government devices; this week, it flagged five apps (including Weibo, WeChat) as cybersecurity risks.
- Opposition parties criticize the ban as infringing on free speech, comparing it to China’s internet restrictions.
- Major platforms like Facebook and TikTok comply with Taiwanese laws, but Xiaohongshu has not responded to remediation requests.