Taipei: Deputy Education Minister Liu Kuo-wei announced that banning students from using Chinese platforms such as TikTok and RedNote is impractical, and the ministry will instead focus on strengthening media literacy education and supporting teachers to mitigate the negative impacts of social media.
According to Focus Taiwan, Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao previously stated that the Taiwan Academic Network, managed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for academic institutions nationwide, had blocked access to platforms like RedNote, TikTok, and Douyin. This decision was based on concerns regarding the detrimental effects of short videos on children’s and teenagers’ development. However, Liu emphasized that the ministry can only control access through the academic network and not students’ personal internet connections.
To address these challenges, the MOE plans to help students identify disinformation and enhance their online personal data security. The ministry also intends to strengthen teachers’ competence and resources through seminars and professional communities. Liu highlighted studies from Taiwan and abroad showing that many TikTok search results contain misinformation, with the platform’s algorithm promoting harmful content related to self-harm, eating disorders, and negative body image messaging.
Opposition voices have also weighed in on the matter. Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Ko Chih-en urged the MOE to enhance its awareness efforts, pointing out the limited reach of its media literacy publications. Liu Shu-pin of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) warned against “over-regulation,” which could hinder creative development, emphasizing that education should not be replaced by prohibition.
KMT lawmaker Yeh Yuan-chih questioned the ministry’s focus on fraud prevention specifically for RedNote, noting that other platforms also host scams and misinformation. Liu responded by welcoming relevant information and suggestions, assuring that anti-fraud efforts would extend to all platforms.
