China’s Weibo App Urges Bloggers to Refrain from Negative Comments About the Economy

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. To mitigate the impact of negative perceptions about its faltering economy, China’s prominent Twitter-like platform, Weibo, is actively discouraging certain users from publishing pessimistic content related to economic matters. This directive was highlighted in an online memo, which was verified by one of its recipients in a conversation with Bloomberg. A Weibo influencer specializing in finance, boasting over 76,000 followers, disclosed in a recent post that they were advised to minimize economic discussions. Another blogger, focusing on Chinese markets and with a following exceeding 16,000, echoed this sentiment by posting a notice that emphasized the importance of not overstepping boundaries, particularly on economic or financial issues. Requests for comments from Weibo’s representatives remained unanswered. This strategy by Weibo aligns with broader measures taken by China’s leadership to bolster confidence in the economy. Bloomberg reported that, in a recent Politburo meeting, senior Communist Party officials committed to enhancing the management of public opinion regarding economic matters. Recent economic indicators suggest a sluggish recovery post-pandemic, marred by low consumer confidence and ongoing real estate challenges. While not as overt, in the US the Biden administration is concerned about negative comments on social media platforms – particularly from young people on TikTok. According to various reports, President Biden wants to work to curb negative economic sentiment on the growing social media platform. TikTok influencers are voicing their concerns about the economy and their financial prospects more frequently,…China’s Weibo App Urges Bloggers to Refrain from Negative Comments About the Economy