Social media firms to publish transparency reports: Digital ministry

Taipei, June 3 (CNA) Meta, LINE, TikTok and Google are required to publish transparency reports before the end of the year as part of government-led efforts to combat fraud, Taiwan's Minister of Digital Affairs (MODA) Yennun Huang (黃彥男) said Tuesday.

The four companies, which operate six major online platforms -- Facebook, Instagram, LINE, TikTok, Google and YouTube -- are subject to formal regulatory supervision, Huang said at a press conference marking his first year in office.

The companies submitted fraud prevention plans in May and will be guided in implementing those plans and complying with relevant laws, Huang said, adding that MODA will continue to support the companies in carrying out anti-fraud work.

Under Taiwan's Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act, which took effect at the end of July last year, social media companies must verify the identities of advertisers and sponsors, create fraud prevention plans, and publish regular transparency reports, Huang explained.

The companies must also remove any fraudulent advertisements within a set timeframe after receiving a notification from the authorities, he added.

In response to questions about TikTok's progress in appointing a legal representative in Taiwan, a MODA official said the company -- whose links to China have led to concerns over national security -- has submitted its application.

The official said the review process involves multiple ministries, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and the company's level of cooperation so far has been "not bad."