Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has fined Samsung and two local PR firms for what it described as an organized campaign to post positive reviews of its products, while maligning competitors' products. Samsung reportedly carried this plan out through two local public relations firms who used a "large number of hired writers and designated employees" to get the job done. Samsung and the two local firms were fined $100,000 each, though the original fine it faced was much higher - as much as $1 million.

Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company Foxconn is back in the news over claims that it is using forced labor in one of its China-based plants to build the PlayStation 4 for Sony.

According to Tech in Asia, on April 3rd, an 18-year-old walked into an internet cafe in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and stabbed an older gentleman to death with a watermelon knife in full view of the other patrons who, according to the news report, did little to nothing in response.

Polygon has an interesting report on a possible competitor looking to move into the space currently filled by cloud-based game streaming services Gaikai and OnLive. The company is called Ubitus and it provides what the publication categorizes as "white label" cloud-based gaming services to a number of devices including cellular carriers and internet service providers. 

Foxconn, the Taiwanese manufacturing company that made international news for the poor working conditions in its various China-based manufacturing plants, continues to have serious problems in China with its workers. According to a GameIndustry.biz report, 300 workers at a Foxconn manufacturing plant in China have threatened mass suicides after a request for a pay increase was denied by the company.

According to this VentureBeat report Taiwanese company Foxconn plans to eliminate some of its workforce with robotic workers. The company said that it will replace 1 million of its workers in China. In case you've forgotten Foxconn is the company that found itself under scrutiny when several of its employees committed suicide because of unacceptable working conditions.

A seven-month long investigation culminated in members of Taiwan’s Intellectual Property Rights Police Team arresting four individuals believed to be responsible for a hefty videogame piracy ring operating in Taiwan and China.

The investigation resulted in the September 27 raid of a warehouse in Sanchong City, Taiwan, where 140,000 pirated game discs for the PlayStation 2, Wii and Xbox were discovered, reports Focus Taiwan. The value of the seizure was estimated to be over $8 million U.S.

Taiwan is considering revisions to its Children and Youth Welfare Act that could result in the introduction of a videogame rating system.

Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah (pictured) hopes to protect youngsters from the perils of media and the Internet, telling lawmakers that “With handsets, palm games and video games becoming ever more popular among teenagers, it is necessary to revise the welfare law to authorize stricter management of video game software,” reports Focus Taiwan.

Another aspect of Jiang’s proposed measure would boost Taiwan’s adoption and foster care regulations. While drafts of this amendment are already being reviewed, draft amendments dealing with the media, Internet and introduction of a game rating system were “yet to be screened” by the legislative committee.