Taiwan Police Step Up Crackdown on Election Disinformation and Cross-Border Repression

Nov 03, 2026

Taiwan's police agency says it is cracking down hard on election disinformation and foreign interference ahead of local elections on November 28, a move that strengthens election security but highlights growing pressure from outside forces.

  • Police have investigated 9 cases of foreign-linked gangs, investigation firms, and local collaborators working together to interfere in Taiwanese politics; prosecutors have already charged suspects in 4 of them.
  • By the end of October, police had handled 184 election disinformation cases, with more than half referred to prosecutors.
  • Authorities flagged new tactics by outside forces, including betting pools on election results, free trips to China for Taiwanese citizens, business donations through dinner events, and using temple and religious networks to organize local support.
  • Candidates targeted by deepfake videos can now request free forensic analysis from police and report fake content to social media platforms before the vote.
  • Police also said foreign-linked actors are using harassment, threats, and surveillance against people in Taiwan, which they are treating as a serious national security matter.

Outlook: Expect continued arrests and prosecutions in the run-up to the November 28 vote as police try to contain both disinformation and foreign interference.

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