On May 28, US Secretary of State Pompeo announced a new visa restriction policy that prohibits foreign officials who engage in censorship of American technology companies, citizens, and residents from entering the United States. Pompeo emphasized that foreign officials demanding global content moderation policies or engaging in censorship activities that extend beyond their jurisdiction and reach into the United States are unacceptable.
Some Chinese Americans in the US have raised concerns about their social media accounts being suspended by platforms due to posting criticisms of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They question whether these actions constitute American technology platforms being influenced by foreign governments and cooperating in censoring American speech.
They point out that CCP supporters often use these platforms to spread pro-CCP propaganda and defame advocates for justice, while at the same time, voices of anti-CCP individuals in the US are being restricted on these platforms. This contradiction is viewed as highly concerning.
According to Human Rights in China (@hrichina) on X platform, the account of Xu Yan, the wife of Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, was banned by the platform, with the exact reasons remaining unclear. Human Rights in China also notes that many Chinese dissidents face account suspensions on X platform, particularly during sensitive periods such as the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Meanwhile, numerous CCP propaganda accounts are actively promoted and circulated on the platform, creating a stark contrast.
In response to Xu Yan’s account ban, Yaxue Cao questioned the X platform, asking whether the ban was directly targeted at her or allowed due to insulting reports from CCP bots intended to silence her. The question raised pertains to whether Xu Yan violated any platform rules by reporting on her visits with her detained husband.
The X platform account of Li Houping, a member of the Chinese Democratic Party living in New York, was also suspended. He stated, “I exposed the atrocities of the CCP, such as the repression in Xinjiang, on the platform.” “I did not expect my account to be suspended; it is alarming to see CCP’s speech censorship extending to the United States.”
Li Houping further pointed out the irony that while the US maintains freedom of speech against the CCP, Chinese media outlets have limited access to public distribution and dissemination in the US. In contrast, CCP propaganda freely circulates in the US, creating a one-sided influence.
He underscored the importance of addressing this issue, stating that failure to do so would essentially invite the CCP’s influence into the US, providing a platform for CCP propaganda to thrive unchecked.