Satellite images of lawmaker's home and workplace removed: MODA

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) said Sunday that satellite images of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen's (沈伯洋) home and workplace had been removed from social media platforms.

The satellite images were originally posted by a Chinese Weibo user on Thursday and included threats to have the Taiwanese lawmaker arrested for "secession." The post was later circulated by Chinese media outlets including Straits Today (今日海峽) and Straits Headlines (兩岸頭條), which is affiliated with the state-run Taiwan.cn.

The MODA condemned what it described as "digital coercion" by Chinese state media, accusing them of maliciously exposing a Taiwanese lawmaker's home and workplace on platforms including Facebook and YouTube.

The ministry said it immediately requested platform operators to handle the posts, adding that Meta and Google reported on Sunday that all relevant posts, including images, text and videos, had been removed.

MODA said using social media to publicly threaten a lawmaker in a democratic country crosses a clear line, and urged platform operators to uphold their social responsibilities by safeguarding digital human rights and democratic values.

In late October last year, the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau listed Shen as "wanted" in an investigation into alleged "criminal activities of secession."

On Nov. 19, a Taiwan legislative committee passed a motion condemning the criminal investigation into Shen.