Man charged after posting old typhoon flood photo to boost Threads traffic

A man in Taiwan has been indicted after allegedly posting an old flood photograph to make it appear that Typhoon Bavi had flooded Taipei Main Station.

Prosecutors said Lin Chia-jung knew the typhoon, which struck on July 10 and 11, had not caused flooding at the station. He allegedly logged into Threads from his home in Taipei’s Zhongshan District at about 1 a.m. on July 11.

Lin posted, “Hey, bro, when will Taipei Main Station reopen? You can’t get into Taipei Main Station now,” alongside an image showing the station underwater. Investigators determined that the photograph actually depicted flooding caused by Typhoon Nari in the past.

Taipei police investigated after receiving a report and referred Lin to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. Prosecutors charged him under Article 53 of the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act, saying the false material could cause public panic and harm the public interest. They asked the court to impose a heavier sentence, arguing that he used the old image solely to increase his social-media traffic.

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Hey, bro, when will Taipei Main Station reopen? You can’t get into Taipei Main Station now.