Taiwan’s top diplomat in Canberra has said Taipei stands by to offer Australia advice in tackling disinformation campaigns as the nation braces for a surge in conspiracy theories and fake news in the run up to the Federal election.

The Australian Electoral Commission has expanded its efforts to counter false or misleading information about the voting process, with a “Stop and Consider” campaign designed to help voters spot AI deep fakes and false rumours on the internet.

After spending years on the front lines against cyber-attacks and online propaganda campaigns, Taiwan has become a world leader in identifying and tackling disinformation and is already exchanging information with the UK and other European nations about its strategy.

The Taiwanese had developed a strong mechanism for independent fact-checking groups to work hand in hand with government ministries to quickly stamp out fake news, explained Douglas Hsu, Taiwan’s chief Representative to Australia, in an exclusive interview with The Nightly.

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