DSET Urges Action to Strengthen Taiwan’s Defenses Against Disinformation: Public-private collaboration has worked so far, but deeper vulnerabilities remain
The Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET) today publishes its latest report, Resilience in Truth: Public-Private Collaboration in Taiwan’s Response to Disinformation, authored by Kai-Shen Huang and Muyi Chou, warning that Taiwan’s information resilience may be more fragile than widely believed.
The report surveys Taiwan’s defenses against information manipulation and finds an elaborate but precarious architecture. Government agencies issue clarifications, digital platforms make selective reforms, and civil society groups scramble to fill the gaps. What emerges is an organic defense system, admirable in intent but lacking in structure, consistency, and legal foundation.
Applying the DISARM Blue framework, the report identifies several critical vulnerabilities. Public-private collaboration remains largely informal. Efforts across ministries are fragmented. AI-generated disinformation, still nascent, threatens to outpace current responses. Despite Taiwan’s successful 2024 elections, the deeper risk lies in the gradual erosion of trust in democratic institutions.
The report offers ten policy recommendations: among them, creating a real-time government response system, building a robust legal framework for platform accountability, investing in independent public media, and mandating the labelling of AI-generated content. Without such reforms, Taiwan’s current defenses may struggle against more sophisticated threats.
Civil society remains Taiwan’s strongest bulwark. Organizations such as Doublethink Lab, the Taiwan Information Environment Research Center (IORG), and Taiwan AI Labs play a critical role, teaching digital literacy, exposing information manipulation, and rebuilding civic trust. Yet their efforts, while vital, cannot substitute for a coherent state strategy.
Published by DSET’s Democratic Governance team, Resilience in Truth provides a candid assessment of Taiwan’s information defenses and a clear warning: democratic resilience is attainable, but only if governments abandon improvisation in favor of coordinated, strategic action.
