On May 22nd, an article titled “The Accelerating Collapse of the Chinese Internet” circulated online, drawing attention to the significant disappearance of historical articles or information on mainland Chinese websites. The original writer of this article is the self-media writer He Jiayan. He pointed out that when searching for terms like “Jack Ma” on Baidu, only a single piece of information from 2021 shows up when the search period is set between 1998 and 2005. Even this piece of information is found to be false upon closer inspection. This anomaly raises concerns about the reliability of historical content available on Chinese websites.
In essence, obtaining original information about figures like Jack Ma from around the early 2000s, including experiences, reports, speeches, and developmental history, has become nearly impossible. The scarcity of authentic historical data on prominent personalities has sparked doubts about the integrity of search engines like Baidu and the possibility of censorship influencing search results.
The article by He Jiayan questioned whether the issue lies solely with Baidu or extends to other search engines like Bing or Google. Through various tests, it was found that Bing and Google offer slightly more accurate results compared to Baidu, but they too primarily display jumbled or invalid information due to technical errors in data retrieval.
Could the inability to find information on figures like Jack Ma be attributed to controversiality or undisclosed censorships? He Jiayan’s investigative findings revealed a startling trend where the content of numerous Chinese websites that were once popular in the past has vanished, leaving behind a digital void devoid of valuable historical archives. The diminishing accessibility to past online content poses a pressing concern for preserving digital memory against the backdrop of rapid technological advancement.
“The Accelerating Collapse of the Chinese Internet” serves as a poignant reminder that the seemingly everlasting repository of knowledge that is the internet is gradually disintegrating, erasing valuable insights and cultural histories that once thrived online. With the disappearance of decades-old information, questions arise regarding the sustainability of digital records and the implications of this loss on shaping collective memory and societal knowledge.
In a recent social media post, Professor Nie Huihua from Renmin University of China expressed shock at the revelations of the article. He lamented the disappearance of his blogs on popular platforms like Sohu and Netease, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of information censorship and control mechanisms that have led to the erasure of online narratives.
Reports from Radio Free Asia on May 23rd shed light on the concerns raised by grassroots organizations like the Beijing Yirenping Center, whose founder Lu Jun disclosed the sudden disappearance of their archived materials from the internet due to stringent online scrutiny. The loss of these records presents a critical issue, particularly concerning the pervasive trend of systematically erasing digital traces of social activism and public welfare initiatives.
As Chongqing scholar Mr. Wang pointed out, articles from over a decade ago that once delved into historical analyses or social critiques are now viewed as potential liabilities in a landscape where media outlets often navigate through sensitive political landscapes under the guidance of the ruling Communist Party. Consequently, the enforced deletions of online content have become an inevitable consequence of operating within a controlled information environment.
He Jiayan speculated on the driving forces behind the rapid disappearance of Chinese internet history, attributing it to a combination of economic factors leading to website closures and intensified regulatory constraints that have reshaped the boundaries of acceptable online content. The evolution of content moderation from leniency to strict controls reflects a paradigm shift where previously permissible content now falls afoul of stringent censorship measures, resulting in mass deletions to align with prevailing regulatory frameworks.
Professor Feng Chongyi from the University of Technology Sydney acknowledged the chilling and distressing nature of these events, emphasizing the devastating impact on historical awareness and access to critical information within the Chinese cyberspace. The escalating control measures, surveillance mechanisms, and proliferation of laws targeted at silencing dissent further exacerbate the challenges faced by internet service providers tasked with navigating through a precarious regulatory terrain that necessitates the erasure of digital content deemed subversive or politically sensitive.