Recently, the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department and the Cyberspace Administration have intensified efforts to control online public opinion, claiming to purify the online environment and demanding swift disposal of relevant information, leading to a large number of self-media articles being deleted. There have been revelations of local governments spending money to intervene in deleting posts, with recorded phone calls exposed. The frequent blocking of citizen accounts has sparked widespread social concern.
In Anhui’s Ma’anshan city and county, the Cyberspace Administration contacted a public opinion management company to approach the self-media personality “Hai Xiao,” requesting the deletion of an article expressing support for Yin Jiangen and offering compensation of several thousand yuan. The article was accompanied by a “co-investigation letter” issued by the Cyberspace Administration. Critics question whether the authorities are trying to use money to silence critical voices.
Yin Jiangen, known online as “Sunshine under the Pen,” has helped numerous rights-defending petitioners to voice their concerns. Recently, after writing an article criticizing official Liu Ying on behalf of petitioners in Ma’anshan city and county, he was arrested in another province and subsequently detained.
An audio recording provided to Dajiyuan by an informant shows a man surnamed Zheng, claiming to be in charge of a public opinion management company, calling the self-media personality “Hai Xiao” to request the deletion of his post. In the phone call, Zheng stated, “I specialize in handling public opinion matters, it’s like doing business. They (Cyberspace Administration) commissioned me to contact you, so I’m handling it.”
The aforementioned “co-investigation letter” was initially handed to Zheng by the CCP Cyberspace Administration, instructing him to warn the self-media personality “San Yan Liu Gan Jue” that his article criticizing Liu Ying had caused “negative effects.” Subsequently, the letter circulated online. “Hai Xiao” posted and shared the letter.
“This type of post is political in nature and must be handled with caution. The ‘co-investigation letter’ provided to us by the Cyberspace Administration yesterday is now circulating in the media market today. The head of the Cyberspace Administration is ‘furious,’ saying he will detain me,” said Zheng. One of the company’s businesses is to assist the government in reporting accounts and posts with “sensitive” content to various platforms. Once successful, the posts are deleted.
Finally, Zheng attempted to bribe “Hai Xiao” with money to delete the post, stating, “Otherwise, I’ll give you a few thousand yuan, and you take down the post.” However, his offer was rejected by “Hai Xiao.”
Meanwhile, ordinary citizens are also heavily affected. Mainland Chinese citizen Wang Gang (pseudonym) stated that his WeChat, Douyin, Zhihu, Xiaohongshu, and other accounts are frequently and unreasonably blocked.
Wang Gang has filed complaints against Ma Huateng’s WeChat on the internet, “My WeChat has been blocked five or six times. They don’t provide any evidence, and the court won’t accept the case. I say they are acting like hooligans.”
Wang Gang pointed out that social media opinions are increasingly tightly controlled, with the key root cause lying in the CCP Central Propaganda Department. He once held illusions about the authorities but is now thoroughly disappointed.
He bluntly stated, “No one can escape karma. Everyone will be brought down. This is the law of history. To maintain power, one must give the people their rights. If they do not repent, it will lead to their disintegration.”