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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

Candidate accused of using fake accounts for online support; past campaign blunders highlighted

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • New Taipei City mayoral candidate Lee Chuan-hsiung is accused of using fake social media accounts to generate support, including comments like "AI technology capital."
  • Legislator Lin Chu-yin criticized Lee's campaign office for not directly addressing the allegations and instead blaming opponents.
  • Lin highlighted several past campaign missteps by Lee's team, questioning the candidate's competence.

New Taipei City mayoral candidate Lee Chuan-hsiung is facing accusations of employing fake social media accounts to artificially inflate his online support, with critics pointing to repetitive comments such as "AI technology capital" as evidence of a coordinated campaign.

After being caught by netizens, Lee's campaign office dared not respond directly and instead blamed the opponent for self-directing and self-acting.

— Lin Chu-yinCriticizing the response of Lee Chuan-hsiung's campaign to allegations of using fake social media accounts.

Democratic Progressive Party candidate Su Chiao-hui initially raised concerns about the "copy-paste" nature of the online messages, suggesting they originated from internet trolls. Lee's campaign office retorted that the accusations were a fabrication by "green camp" operatives. However, Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Chu-yin criticized Lee's campaign for its response, stating that after being exposed by netizens, the campaign office avoided a direct rebuttal and instead accused the opposition of orchestrating the situation.

Lin Chu-yin detailed a series of alleged blunders by Lee's campaign team on Facebook. These include accidentally leaving AI source code in a post intended to attack Su Chiao-hui, using a screenshot with a visible mouse cursor in promotional material, and generating an AI image of a "ladybug bus" with incorrect depictions of Banqiao Station and incomplete crosswalks. Additionally, campaign slogans have reportedly claimed Lee is the "strongest in the opposition" despite the Kuomintang party having governed New Taipei for over 20 years, and a short video misspelled the place name "Hou-tong" as "Hou-tong."

Lee's team has screws falling out everywhere. When something goes wrong, they blame Su Chiao-hui! If Lee Chuan-hsiung, who can't even manage internal controls, is elected, can the citizens of New Taipei trust him?

— Lin Chu-yinQuestioning the competence of Lee Chuan-hsiung's campaign team based on a series of alleged errors.

Lin questioned whether New Taipei citizens could trust Lee to govern if his team cannot even manage internal controls effectively. She sarcastically advised Lee to manage his "AI internet army" before discussing New Taipei as an "AI technology capital," suggesting that manufactured online popularity does not translate into genuine support.

Before talking about New Taipei as an 'AI technology capital,' manage your own 'AI internet army' first!

— Lin Chu-yinSardonically advising Lee Chuan-hsiung to address his campaign's alleged use of fake social media accounts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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