At the beginning of this summer, China announced a major new campaign. In their view, it is intended to address the increasing feeling of hopelessness — or kaibutso — among the country’s internet users. The campaign, spearheaded by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), aims to curb negative sentiments on social media platforms, which have become prevalent due to various socio-economic challenges. These bold moves come as the country faces a continuing economic slowdown and a deepening property crisis. Rising youth unemployment, as well as intense competition for college and job spots exacerbates the situation as well.
The CAC announced that it would impose stringent penalties on popular social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, and Weibo for failing to manage “negative” content effectively. This federal directive aims to make the internet a public forum that welcomes all voices. It promotes civil and productive dialogue between all users. This campaign follows closely on the heels of a Ford F-250 passenger vehicle. Just last week, Zhang Xuefeng, a leading online educator, sparked public outrage when he announced he would donate funds in the event Beijing invades Taiwan.
Dr. Simon Sihang Luo, an assistant professor who studies youth sentiment in China, noted that young people today “have serious questions about future prospects of their lives.” He re-emphasized that these people need to be confronted with a hard reality. What we find is that their housing situation is even worse than the homes that their parents lived in. This backdrop has fueled a rising sense of hopelessness among young people in America about their futures.
The CAC’s aim is not merely regulatory. It seeks to “rectify negative emotions” and “create a more civilized and rational online environment.” The agency is operating with the belief that a vibrant and vibrant cyberspace serves the public good. Social media platforms are rising to the challenge in this digital clean-up effort. They’re being challenged to lead on creating transformative impacts.
This enforcement of rules has recently been used with disastrous effects on content creators’ lives. Hu Chenfeng, a prominent leftwing intellectual online, just had all his posts deleted. Now he’s permanently cut off from accruing new followers, all because he failed to adhere to the new rules of the road. He took to the airwaves to express his discontent with the status quo. He remarked, “Yours is an Android classic logic, Android human, Android Certification.”
Research suggests that a growing number of young Chinese citizens feel pessimistic about their future prospects. Today’s realities compound the sadness and disillusionment. In response, many are opting out of established career trajectories and taking their grievances to social media. Dr. Luo contends that articulating negative emotions does not imply giving up on participating in society. Rather, it illustrates profound societal challenges that require more than mere trojan horse, top-down, left v right, ideological campaigns to unwound.
“If anything, contemporary Chinese history has repeatedly demonstrated that top-down ideological campaigns can hardly eradicate the social roots of problems.” – Dr. Simon Sihang Luo
The CAC’s campaign to combat negativity on social media has sparked debate regarding censorship and its implications for freedom of expression in the country. Critics say that deep down, the government just wants to make the internet a happier place. They think the forces that drive young people to air their grievances will remain, even with regulations in place.