TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Network Information Center (財團法人台灣網路資訊中心) published a report on Thursday (Jan. 8) revealing that more than half of Taiwanese citizens remain unfamiliar with the potential influence of foreign powers through video creators on public opinion in Taiwan. The survey, conducted from July 28 to Sept. 1, 2025, highlights a significant gap in public awareness regarding information warfare risks.
The report indicates that 54.71% of respondents engaged with content from online influencers in the past month, underscoring the importance of influencer content as a vital information source. This is particularly significant since over a third of respondents said that they obtain their news primarily from social media or Youtube. Despite this, 51.91% of Taiwanese citizens express unfamiliarity with the notion that foreign entities might sway public opinion via video creators.
The survey shows that only 11.15% of respondents are very familiar with media reports on foreign influence attempts through video creators, while 32.16% consider themselves familiar. Conversely, 28.12% of respondents are unfamiliar, and 23.79% are very unfamiliar with such reports, reflecting a lack of widespread recognition of these issues.
In terms of online resources for countering cognitive warfare, 59% of respondents feel that resources are insufficient or very insufficient, while 23.96% believe they are adequate or very adequate. Younger demographics tend to have a more positive view of the sufficiency of online resources, whereas over 60% of those with university or postgraduate education perceive resources as lacking.