CHarless Yeh’s fight against disinformation in Taiwan started with a bowl of beef noodles. It all began nine years ago when the Taiwanese engineer was dining at a restaurant with his family. His mother-in-law began removing scallions from his dish, claiming they were bad for the liver based on a text message she had received. This prompted Yeh to investigate and reveal the truth.
Confused by the misinformation, Yeh decided to expose the truth on his blog and share it with his family and friends via the Line messaging app. The information quickly spread, leading to requests from strangers who wanted to connect with his personal Line account.
Yeh recognized the demand for fact-checking in Taiwan, leading him to launch the website “MyGoPen” in 2015, which translates to “Don’t be fooled again” in Taiwanese. Within two years, MyGoPen gained 50,000 subscribers and now boasts over 400,000. In 2023, the platform received 1.3 million fact-check requests, debunking various myths and false claims.
Several other fact-checking organizations have also emerged in Taiwan, including the Taiwan Fact-Checking Centre, Cofacts, and DoubleThink Lab. However, as these organizations grow, the threat of disinformation also increases.
The growing and changing threat from China
A study by the Democratic Diversity Project at the University of Gothenburg identified Taiwan as the target of foreign disinformation more than any other democracy, with the most significant threat originating from across the Taiwan Strait, particularly during election seasons.
Doublethink Lab monitors China’s influence in various spheres across 82 countries, ranking Taiwan at the top for China’s impact on society and media and 11th place overall.
Despite the increasing threats, Yeh and his team at MyGoPen continue to combat disinformation using a combination of human fact-checkers and AI. They leverage advanced technologies to verify information and educate the public about evolving disinformation tactics.
Source: www.theguardian.com
