Taiwan AI Labs yesterday reported a surge in online misinformation over the past few days targeting political issues ahead of next week’s legislative and presidential elections.

The research organization said it observed several groups working in tandem to undermine public trust in the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), with accounts on Facebook manipulating news regarding the stabbing to death of a New Taipei City junior-high student to support the death penalty.

A ninth-grade male student reportedly stabbed a classmate in the neck and chest on Monday last week, after a female student complained to the suspect about the way the other student had spoken to her.