Taiwan Lawmakers Warn of Hidden Drug Trade on Social Media
As summer vacation begins, Taiwanese lawmakers and the justice ministry are warning parents that online drug dealers are targeting children using code words like “sugar” or “beverage” on social media. With a notable rise in juvenile drug arrests, authorities are calling for urgent legal amendments. Current loopholes leave big platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin unregulated, prompting demands for clear legal frameworks that allow law enforcement to flag and remove illicit content.
Online Drug Risks for Children
REPORTER:
Lawmakers and authorities responsible for drug and Internet enforcement are calling for more stringent laws to protect children from the online drug trade.
Some mothers have appealed to us that on their kids’ social media feeds they see keywords like “sugar,” “young lady” and “beverage.” These are all ordinary words used in everyday life. How could [parents and children] know that they’re referring to illegal drugs?
Lawmakers and NGOs say signs of illicit drug use have become harder to detect in children's social media feeds. Government figures show that there’s been a surge in arrests of drug users, many of them underage. Officials add that platforms should be responsible for blocking drug-related content, but Chinese platforms like Xiaohongshu and douyin are unregulated in Taiwan. They say they hope to better control Internet drug activities with an upcoming amendment.
For example, the police department or other related law enforcement, when they find these coded keywords or phrases that could be used for selling drugs online, they would have a legal basis to report to the Taiwan Network Information Center and take down those websites.
REPORTER:
Lawmakers are urging government departments to watch out for more drug content on platforms and websites starting Wednesday, as students enter their summer break.
