‘TikTok wouldn’t open at all’: Taiwan simulates an internet blackout, with an eye on China threat

Taiwan practised cutting off internet for the first time amid concerns about the safety of the undersea cables that form its ‘digital lifeline’ In Taipei, the streets swiftly empty as air raid sirens ring out and alerts ping on mobile phones. Police officers usher any stragglers into shelters, leaving the capital suddenly deserted. In cities across Taiwan, these kinds of drills are a fact of life every year, amid the growing threat posed by China across the strait, but this time there is something different. Internet speeds were drastically cut on Thursday, simulating a coordinated attack for the first time. Data-heavy services such as video calls, streaming and mobile payments became difficult or impossible to use, while videos on social media barely loaded. However, Wang Chen-wen knows how to reach others. When the sirens sound and her mobile internet begins to grind to a halt, Wang goes to the roof of her 25-storey apartment building, searching for a better radio signal. She connects her phone via Bluetooth to a small, flat device hanging from her bag. Within seconds, she is sending messages without relying on the internet. Minutes later, some of them succeeded in reaching a