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, sparking concerns within President Joe Biden’s camp about the potential impact on his re-election bid in 2024. The popularity of hashtags like “Silent Recession” is growing on social media platforms, causing anxiety in the White House as they perceive these trends to be counteracting their narrative of “Bidenomics” showing encouraging developments. Notably, Generation Z and Millennials, when combined, are projected to have as much voting power in the upcoming year as the Baby Boomers and older generations, who have historically been the predominant voter demographic for many years.
According to The Washington Post, a White House official said the Biden administration is “working with TikTok creators to tell positive stories of Biden’s economic stewardship, while also working with social media platforms to counter misinformation.”
