Online safety & content laws in Taiwan (2026)

President Lai Ching-te signed Taiwan's first AI governance statute into force, codifying seven core principles (human autonomy, privacy, cybersecurity, fairness, transparency, accountability, sustainability) and creating an Executive Yuan AI strategy committee chaired by the premier. The 20-clause 'soft law' framework promotes development without prescribing specific penalties, but expressly bars AI from spreading misinformation or undermining national security.

The first amendment since the Act's 2018 enactment expanded its 23 articles to 35: it formalised MODA as lead cybersecurity authority, banned government agencies from using products supplied by 'enemy forces' under the National Security Act, mandated appointment of CISOs, strengthened outsourcing controls, granted MODA investigative powers, and raised the maximum non-reporting fine to NT$10 million.

Phase-two provisions of the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act (promulgated July 2024) took effect, requiring domestic and offshore online advertising platforms to verify and publicly disclose the identities of advertisers and their funding sources. Platforms must remove or block fraudulent ads within 24 hours of official notification.

The National Communications Commission halted its DSA-style platform regulation bill after over 30,000 citizens voted against it on the government's public-participation portal (fewer than 150 in favour), fearing the content-flagging powers would suppress free speech. The NCC stated it would not advance the draft without public consensus — leaving Taiwan without a comprehensive platform-liability law.

Taiwan created a new cabinet-level ministry consolidating authority over cybersecurity, digital-economy industries, third-party payments, software publishers, and internet retail under one roof. MODA became the central body for platform regulation and, via the 2025 CSMA amendment, the statutory lead for national cybersecurity governance.

Enacted to counter Chinese-origin influence operations, the Act criminalises accepting funding or instructions from 'foreign hostile forces' to make political donations, lobby, or conduct disinformation campaigns that influence elections. It directly addressed state-sponsored online influence on public discourse, carrying penalties of up to five years imprisonment and NT$10 million fines.

Taiwan's five largest internet service providers signed a self-discipline Code of Practice for Preventing Misinformation, an industry-led complement to government media-literacy campaigns and civil-society fact-checkers. The code emerged after the NCC faced strong criticism for earlier, heavier-handed legislative drafts and became a model of co-regulatory soft governance.

Taiwan's first dedicated cybersecurity statute (promulgated 6 June 2018) entered into force, imposing legally binding cybersecurity maintenance plans and incident-notification obligations on government agencies and critical infrastructure providers across eight sectors including finance, energy, transport, and telecoms. It marked the shift from voluntary guidelines to enforceable cybersecurity law.

Taiwan created an independent statutory regulator — modelled on the US FCC — by merging the Directorate General of Telecommunications and the Government Information Office's Department of Broadcasting Affairs. The NCC became the primary authority for internet-content oversight, spectrum management, platform licensing, and consumer protection, and remains the key body for online safety regulation today.