Taiwan has encountered an unexpected threat in hybrid warfare – over 7 million illegal OTT TV boxes, according to data from the Broadband Cable Industry Institute, have become tools of cognitive warfare. As stated by the institute’s Director General Claudia Peng, these illegal devices may serve as channels for China’s “united front” efforts.
Taiwan’s Taipei Times reports that such devices are widely used in hotel rooms across Taiwan, broadcasting pirated content promoting unification with China. “The problem with these devices is that they’re being used as cognitive warfare tools, subtly influencing Taiwanese youth’s culture and ideology without them realizing it,” Peng emphasized.
According to the publication, to circumvent bans, manufacturers now sell boxes without pre-installed software, requiring users to independently find and install applications. This bypasses regulations while disseminating content that “glorifies Chinese culture and promotes unification,” including programs from China Central Television and provincial satellite channels.
As Peng notes, broadcasting Chinese programs without approval violates not only copyright law but also the Act Governing Relations between the People of Taiwan and Mainland China. Losses to Taiwan’s industry from pirated content exceed NT$28 billion per year.
However, as acknowledged by National Communications Commission Secretary-General Huang Wen-che, law enforcement remains fragmented: “Enforcement falls under the Mainland Affairs Council’s jurisdiction,” while the commission itself is only responsible for equipment certification.
This situation creates ideal conditions for cognitive warfare – where technical tricks combine with legal loopholes, allowing the PLA to shape desired narratives through illegal TV boxes. As experts warn, such “subtle” propaganda may prove more effective than traditional information warfare methods by operating at the level of daily habits and media consumption.
