Commentator Li Yixiu Ordered to Pay $20,000 in Defamation Case Over Remarks Against Professor Chen Shifen

In 2023, Taiwanese political commentator Li Yixiu, known as 'History Bro,' made public remarks on a political talk show accusing Chen Shifen—a US-based professor who writes under the pen name 'Weng Darren'—of being a 'wandering professor in North America,' 'without tenure,' and a 'wingman.' Chen filed a defamation lawsuit, seeking NT$1.51 million in compensation and a public apology in newspapers.

Chen initially lost the case in the Taipei District Court (first instance), but won a reversal on appeal. The High Court (second instance) ruled that Li must pay NT$300,000 and publish a retraction in the Liberty Times. Li then appealed to the Supreme Court, which overturned the second-instance ruling and remanded the case for retrial at the High Court (retrial at the same level, known as 'geng yi shen').

In the retrial, the High Court confirmed that Chen is indeed a tenured full professor at Ivey Business School and Western Washington University in the United States. Academic positions are key indicators of scholarly reputation, and Li's false claims that Chen was not a full-time or tenured professor were found to have damaged Chen's reputation.

The court emphasized that Li embedded these false statements within political commentary to undermine Chen's credibility and reinforce his own arguments. Despite Chen's public corrections, Li continued to repeat the claims without correction. Considering the extent of reputational harm and both parties' professional and financial circumstances, the court ruled that Li must pay NT$200,000 in compensation.

Regarding Chen's request for a newspaper apology, the court ruled it disproportionate, noting that Chen's academic position is verifiable on Wikipedia and that the matter has limited public interest. Therefore, this request was dismissed. The ruling is final for Li, who cannot appeal further, while Chen retains the right to appeal.