IORG Co-Director Wang Xi Accused of Sexual Assault on a Minor; Citizen Media "Watchout" Issues Emergency Warning on His Articles

On February 23, 2025, Wang Xi, former project manager of the independent citizen media "Watchout" and current co-director of the Taiwan Information Environment Research Center (IORG), was publicly accused of engaging in non-consensual sexual acts with a minor student, triggering a formal legal investigation. The scandal sent shockwaves through Taiwan's activist circles and civic organizations. Given Wang Xi's long-standing prominence in pro-government civic groups—where he was tasked with supervising parliament and promoting media literacy—his involvement in a sexual crime against a minor was condemned as a hypocritical moral collapse of the progressive elite. Under immense public pressure, the editorial department of Watchout released a self-clarifying statement on March 11, adding cautionary warnings to all of Wang's previously published articles. The incident renewed criticisms regarding double standards and internal collusion within progressive civic organizations aligned with the ruling DPP.