Middle East war fuels disinformation about Taiwan’s gas supply

TAIPEI – Taiwan has been targeted by a wave of online disinformation claiming the self-ruled island’s gas supplies will soon be completely depleted due to disruptions from the Middle East war – a narrative officials say could cause panic and undermine confidence in the government. The false social media posts, which have amassed thousands of views on Chinese-language platforms, include a persistent claim that Taiwan will run out of liquefied natural gas (LNG) within 11 days and face electricity blackouts due to Iran’s restrictions on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. AFP fact-checkers found around two dozen Douyin posts…