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1h ago

Taiwan to Block Xiaohongshu for One Year as Opposition Calls Move Censorship

Authorities cite extensive fraud alongside a failed security assessment.

The Xiaohongshu Technology Co. logo at the company's headquarters in Shanghai, China, on September 15, 2025.
The logo of China's lifestyle-sharing social media platform Xiaohongshu, which translates as "red note" or "little red book," is displayed on a smartphone screen in Suqian, China, on September 11, 2025.
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Overview

  • Taiwan’s interior ministry will order internet blocking and access restrictions for a provisional one-year period, with implementation expected within days.
  • Officials link the app to 1,706 fraud cases since 2024 totaling NT$247.68 million and say it failed all 15 indicators in a government cybersecurity review.
  • The suspension could affect about 3 million users in Taiwan, and authorities say the platform’s lack of a local legal representative has hindered investigations.
  • Further steps will depend on whether Xiaohongshu engages in good faith, complies with Taiwanese law, and addresses data safety; the company has not responded to media inquiries.
  • Kuomintang leader Cheng Li-wun criticized the plan as censorship, while the presidential office expressed support, as Taiwan’s digital ministry also warned that several Chinese apps collect sensitive and biometric data.