With the Taipei mayoral race heating up, DPP candidate Puma Shen has been accused of paying for an online army to boost his social media popularity. He came forward personally to rebut the claim, in an exchange that saw both camps trading fire.

• Some internet users compared the two candidates' social media figures and alleged that the DPP had paid for an online army to prop up its numbers.
• Shen said he began building his social media presence a long time ago, and that between his work on legislative issues and being sanctioned by China, his follower count naturally accumulated.
• To block fake accounts, he switched to a "follow before you can comment" setting, so many of the new followers are people coming to attack him.
• He argued that buying accounts is not worth it: platforms can detect it, opponents can dig it up, and it could end up backfiring on him.
• At the same time, he has kept up his attacks on Chiang Wan-an's city government — from the exorbitantly priced parasols and the fenced-in smoking rooms to the tree-felling controversy — and has called for a public debate.

Outlook: In the final stretch of the campaign, the two sides will continue to trade blows over city administration controversies and online visibility, with whether a debate will actually happen remaining a focal point.