Opinion | China ventures outside the Great Firewall, only to hit the brick wall of online etiquette and trolls
- Officials are starting to realise that, unlike on Chinese social media, they can’t manipulate public opinion on Twitter without being challenged. Instead, their accounts come under heavy scrutiny, their views are opposed and they attract trolls
The posts are clearly not intended for the domestic audience; there have been no changes to the country’s restrictive internet policies. Rather, the presence of Chinese diplomats on Twitter serves one goal: to deliver Beijing’s message to the free world.
What they are starting to realise is that unlike on Chinese platforms such as Weibo and WeChat, they cannot censor comments and manipulate public opinion without being challenged.
Instead, in the wild world of Twitter, their accounts come under heavy scrutiny, their views are opposed and they attract trolls – who are rather common in democracies, but would be relatively new to Chinese diplomats.
In China, critical online posts about the country’s leaders can lead to a prison term. On Twitter, however, trolls provide a reality check for Chinese diplomats seeking to enhance the country’s reputation.