Recently (as in last semester) I wrote a paper on the Chinese government and their way of tackling ‘social media’ within their very strict… requirements. I’ve lately become very fascinated with China and it’s governance. Even so to the point where I almost bought the Mandarin version of Rosetta Stone. Either way, here’s the paper. It’s one I’m particularly proud of.
A Super Power in Trouble
How Social Media Will Effect China’s Landscape
Amongst the financial crisis to hit in 2008, a number of new terms and concepts have been thrown around. One of which is the concept of “too big to fail.” This concept basically means that anything particularly large or important can’t fail or cease to continue, just because it simply can’t. Obviously, the evidence that stands behind it isn’t particularly strong. Despite an overwhelming lack of evidence however, many economists and significantly, the United States Government have quite recently bought into the concept, not only with Fortune 500 companies, but even in more fluid concepts of nations.
Among these nations to be “too big to fail” is China. Arguably the world’s largest and most significant nation, as they’ve a great deal of people and wealth. Many would-be politicians and certainly many actual politicians play it very safe when it comes to Chinese government. Among these peoples that play is safe regarding China, none more than the Chinese themselves. Despite trying to portray their nation as democratic and capitalist to citizens in their country and out, China holds a great deal of governmental problems looming ahead. A significant amount of corruption, or world-wide campaigns to boycott cheaply made Chinese imports, that many blame for the loss of a significant number of jobs, and in the long run, damaging the local economy, are just a few of the reasons China will find itself in a great struggle over the upcoming years. But I think the biggest problem will be found internally. China’s own social media will be the spark that ignites a Chinese revolution.
China, being such a large country doesn’t trust silly little “American” inventions of Facebook or Twitter or Youtube. Instead they have something so potentially damaging, Chinese officials have created alternatives, which are heavily censored and monitored by Chinese officials. Chinese responses to Youtube and Twitter have taken off vastly successfully. This growth of social media has done the same thing for China that it did for everywhere else, it gave the nation an opportunity to communicate with each other.
China’s history isn’t unlike Africa, in the sense that while we group it together as one whole in conversation or discussion, there are many interior differences. A history plagued by racist dynasty’s and struggles for political power; China’s history is more than Great Walls and Terracotta armies. These problems, though not at the forefront of discussion are still there.
These issues do come up in social media websites. Chinese Twitter, known as Sina Weibo is known for getting a number of people in trouble for uttering certain keywords, such as democracy. A number of figures have been known to disappear after posting on Sina Weibo. Chinese Youtube, known as Youku is a place where a number of citizens have been known to cause public outcry. Recently, a video of a child left at the side of the road being hit by vehicles and ignored by passer-bys have caused outcry in regards to changing the Chinese social landscape.
The use of Chinese Social Media finds itself particularly strong for a number of reasons. Traditional media in China is state-controlled. As such, a number of citizens find themselves in distrust of the media. Chinese internet users rank in the 500-millions. Furthermore, these users spend an average 2.7 hours on the internet. Since such a great number of users plug into the internet daily, it’s bound to become a really strong source of information and entertainment.
The reality is, however that Chinese citizens need to be very careful about what they say on Sina Weibo or Renren (a Facebook clone) as government officials heavily monitor the sites. Furthermore, many citizens fear what they publish not just getting in trouble, but falling on deaf ears. Things like the “Great Firewall of China” make it nearly impossible for foreigners to enter China’s network, and thereby Chinese posts and opinions don’t reach the international ears and attention they could. Furthermore, interior sites like Amazon China, formerly known as Joyo, make e-commerce interior as well. With every aspect of Chinese media interior, it’s bound to cause communication.
With such a great number of people communicating in one place, it’s bound to spark ideas and dialect. The wealthy leave China when they can, and the Chinese people are bound to have enough soon. Considering the sate runs everything in China and the immediate influence of the Republic of China (Taiwan) at the doorstep, a lot of Chinese citizens question what their role in China’s future is. They ask this question on social media. This could very well spark discussion that could ultimately end up in revolution.
