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China’s internet censorship

China’s internet censorship
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China’s internet censorship. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Illustration: Henry Wong
TikTok

Are China’s social media apps the soft power play to win over the West?

After the US migration to RedNote, experts say transforming engagement into influence will require a ‘light touch’ from Beijing.

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China property

Shanghai launches clampdown on property market doom-mongering

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Women and gender

China’s LGBTQ community loses key lifeline as Blued, Finka apps vanish

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Internet

Are China’s stars leading fans to be more nationalist – or the other way round?

Study out of the US and Britain looks at how nationalism flows and influences others on Chinese social media.

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Researchers from universities in the US and Britain used “vector autoregression” to assess how Chinese celebrities and fans influence each other through their social media posts, specifically on Weibo, over time. Photo: AFP
Censorship

Ex-state media editor warns against ‘collective silence’ on Chinese social media

Ex-Global Times chief Hu Xijin says there should be greater scope for ‘citizens to exchange information’ on social media.

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Censorship

China’s ‘Clean Net’ campaign targets ‘negative emotions’ in annual online purge

Internet watchdog’s crackdown broadens battle against pessimism, punishes influencers and platforms ‘selling anxiety’ on web.

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Censorship in China

Kuaishou, Weibo warned as China cracks down on trending topics

The cyber regulator’s actions follow similar actions targeting lifestyle social media platform RedNote.

Kuaishou is China’s second-most popular short video platform. Photo: Shutterstock
China's military weapons

Want to relive the Chinese military parade? Try this cuddly missile plushie

‘Sleep with the DF-5C pillow, as it provides the highest sense of security … It covers the entire globe,’ goes the blurb for an ICBM toy.

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Women and gender

Chinese officials accuse online stand-up shows of stirring ‘gender antagonism’

Zhejiang officials hope ‘rising stand-up comedy scene can become more rational and profound, with less division and more understanding’.

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ByteDance

ByteDance’s China head of content quality leaves amid stricter censorship

Li Tong, who led Douyin’s content quality team, is no longer listed in ByteDance’s internal employee system, according to sources.

The building of Douyin Group in Chengdu, Sichuan province, seen on March 11, 2024. Photo: Shutterstock
Internet

China fines ultranationalist blogger Sima Nan US$1.2 million for tax evasion

In November, after decades of posting and amassing more than 50 million followers, outspoken blogger went silent on social media.

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Chinese state media says Beijing tax authorities detected tax fraud by outspoken blogger Sima Nan. He was fined more than 9 million yuan. Photo: AFP
China's military weapons

China tightens rules on publishing information about the military

‘Online information providers’ face a range of new curbs including a ban on publishing information about weapons systems and facilities.

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China technology

Weibo adjusts algorithms to improve ‘public values’ amid government crackdown

Weibo has been under fire in recent years for having too many trending topics about celebrities.

Shanghai

Shanghai mulls plan to bypass Great Firewall in bid to woo foreign investment

Shanghai is not alone in such efforts, as Nansha district in Guangzhou is implementing cross-border data transfers with Hong Kong and Macau.

China’s rigid internet regulations have kept many foreign platforms out of reach unless using a VPN. Photo: Shutterstock Images
US-China relations

Opinion | US and China should follow lead of their youth bonding on RedNote

Their interactions help debunk Washington’s ‘China threat’ narrative and should give Beijing the courage to relax its censorship and trust Chinese youth.

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For many young Americans, RedNote has given them their first direct interaction with mainland Chinese people. Photo: SCMP
China’s Communist Party

Unplug ‘Great Firewall’ to help China compete, Shanghai lawmaker says

Legislator Mao Xiangdong calls for lifting of internet restrictions in free-trade zones, financial districts and universities.

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China’s Communist Party

RedNote’s influx of ‘TikTok refugees’ could be a double-edged sword for Beijing

The authorities will be hoping new users of the app will get a favourable impression of China – but may be unnerved by some of their posts.

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China’s Communist Party

Chinese officials urged not to ignore public opinion

Cadres warned to pay attention to complaints from members of the public to avoid more serious problems later on.

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Officials were urged to take account of online comments. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Trending in China

Chinese ex-gymnast hit with new social media ban over sexy dance routines

Former sporting hero’s provocative live streaming sessions lead to fresh social media gag, dividing opinion on mainland social media.

China’s Communist Party

China stamps out AI misuse to preserve national literature and ideology

Beijing seeks to balance AI use to boost the economy while combating deepfakes, digital misinformation and altering of public perception.

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China’s Communist Party

Exclusive | Chinese internet censors ban anti-West firebrand Sima Nan for a year

The ultranationalist blogger has not posted online since Tuesday when he voiced support for Donald Trump in the US election.

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Commentator Sima Nan has not posted online since Tuesday night. Photo: AFP
China’s Communist Party

Chinese commentator Hu Xijin returns to social media after months of silence

Fans celebrate comeback of former Global Times chief after unexplained absence from online platforms where he had been a prolific poster.

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Outspoken former newspaper editor Hu Xijin has reappeared on social media with a post praising a new bridge linking Beijing and neighbouring Hebei province. Photo: Weibo
China’s Communist Party

China takes down fake news about its military, closes social media accounts

Internet watchdog reports targets include false reports of ‘cyberwarfare’ in the South China Sea and other ‘fantasy stories’.

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Communist Party politics

‘Confident’ China should relax grip on cultural, information exchange: academic

Too many Chinese scholars fail to properly engage with their overseas peers, leading to worsening decoupling, professor warns.

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Social media

My Take | China’s stock-market frenzy reflects social media’s growing sway over investors

The current investor euphoria has been aroused by the proliferation of upbeat short-video posts on Chinese social media.

What is unfolding could well be the nation’s first bull run in the era of ubiquitous short-video sharing in Chinese social media. Photo: Bloomberg
Accidents and disasters in China

Man accused of stabbing Japanese boy jobless with criminal record: Chinese media

Information about the sensitive case is tightly controlled by Chinese police, media and internet censors.

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Chinese paramilitary police officers march past the entrance of the Japanese embassy in Beijing on Thursday. China has expressed “regret and sadness” after a Japanese schoolboy died after being stabbed on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Communist Party politics

China tightens ideological control with warnings against rock ’n’ roll, internet

New college textbook drawing on speeches of President Xi Jinping is latest move from Beijing to tighten ideological control and national security.

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Video gaming

No ‘feminist propaganda’? Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong’s censorship row

Gamers were also warned against any reference to ‘isolation’ or ‘quarantine’ – likely a reference to China’s pandemic-era policies that sparked civil unrest.

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