As the Chinese New Year of 2026 approaches, the Cyberspace Administration of China has recently launched a special campaign prohibiting the dissemination of information promoting remaining unmarried and childless, as well as anti-marriage and anti-childbearing sentiments. Against the backdrop of soaring unemployment rates, the authorities’ attempt to boost the birth rate through “censorship” has sparked widespread mockery and criticism.
The special campaign by the Cyberspace Administration of China focuses on four major “issues”: maliciously inciting negative emotions, spreading and propagating “digital garbage” information, fabricating and disseminating false information, and attracting traffic for illegal activities (such as gambling).
One of the key focuses is on “maliciously inciting negative emotions,” which includes advocating for remaining unmarried and childless, promoting anti-marriage and anti-childbearing values, fueling gender conflicts, and intensifying fears of marriage and anxieties about childbirth.
With the Chinese New Year approaching, the Cyberspace Administration of China has once again launched a so-called special rectification campaign, triggering discussions and resentment among some netizens on Chinese social media platforms.
Many netizens commented that ordinary people might have a difficult year ahead. This particular campaign, unlike previous ones mainly targeting “rumors and scams,” marks the first time that narratives related to marriage and childbirth values have been singled out for intensive rectification.
On the verified Weibo account of media figure “Li Wan,” a post jokingly teased about the “correct posture” for the internet in the coming year: “This year should feature three harmonious children in a happy family, real-life couples starring in productions, celebrating the Lunar New Year in a simple manner watching the Spring Festival Gala, and engaging in sports and games without gambling.”
Some netizens responded to the post with comments like “Amusing,” “‘One month of rectification might not be enough, let’s keep it going,” and “Maybe they’ll have to crack down on Weibo too.” The sentiment expressed in these reactions suggests a shift in the prevailing attitudes.
The latest round of internet rectification by the Chinese Communist Party comes against the backdrop of an increasingly severe demographic crisis in China. In recent years, the birth rate in the mainland has continued to decline, putting pressure on the labor force and threatening the collapse of the pension system. Despite the government’s previous efforts to introduce incentives for childbirth and extend maternity leave, the effects of these policies have been minimal due to the high costs of education and the elevated unemployment rates.
With the advancement of mobile internet and social media, young people who feel they cannot afford to marry or have children in reality are turning to the online space for validation. Posts on Chinese online platforms frequently depict marriage as burdensome and raising children as financially ruinous. Some online content links marriage and child-rearing to economic pressures, family responsibilities, and other factors, reflecting the real-life stresses faced by certain segments of the younger population.
For the Chinese authorities, these expressions of real-life constraints have been labeled as “spreading negative energy,” with the belief that such content deliberately stirs up fears and anxieties surrounding marriage and childbirth.
Meanwhile, platforms are facing increased scrutiny and demands regarding content moderation and opinion management. Some netizens suggest that if one’s content makes others feel “unhappy” or “unwilling to marry,” it might be seen as “interfering with the country’s population policy.”
Major internet platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu are now under immense pressure to act as “emotional gatekeepers” and rigorously deter various forms of “negative narratives.”