Summary

Many Americans joining China’s social media platform RedNote are encountering strict censorship uncommon in Western platforms.

One non-binary user had a post asking if the platform welcomed gay people removed within hours.

Posts on LGBTQ+ topics, fitness photos, and sensitive cultural content have been censored, frustrating users unfamiliar with China’s moderation rules.

RedNote is hiring English-language moderators to handle the influx. While some users enjoy cultural exchange, others criticize restrictions.

Analysts see RedNote’s growth among US users as a soft power win for China.

  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
    615·
    23 hours ago

    Anyone who has been using Xitter over the last couple of years has already experienced Chinese style censorship.

    • avattar@lemmy.sdf.org
      412·
      22 hours ago

      Chinese style censorship is more consistent, though. No one is making up rules on the fly.

      • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
        192·
        20 hours ago

        This is consistent. Anything that makes the racists, fascists, incels, tech bros, and billionaires uncomfortable is blocked.

          • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
            73·
            18 hours ago

            Did mentions of Tiananmen Square make China uncomfortable before 1989 or did that change? Did mentions of Winnie the Pooh make China uncomfortable before 2017 or did that change?

            I’m not sure what point you were trying to make.

            • doomcanoe@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              1·
              9 hours ago

              The point was obvious…

              Chinese censorship is planned and targeted, with the intent to control and suppress dissent. It works hard to maintain a narrative and prevent excessive and rapid shifts so as to achieve a long term goal of control.

              The billionaires running American social media (with a special shout to Musk) are mercurial and subject to the petty whims and feelings of the owner.

              So while yes, obviously both change and the heads of the CCP are also occasionally subject to emotional responses, the differences between the two are stark and obvious. So no, “everything technically changes” is not a valid counter to the significant differences in intent and volatility.

              Claiming you don’t understand the point they were making is just being intentionally obtuse.

              • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
                1·
                7 hours ago

                I’m sure your point was very clear in your head but it may not be obvious to you that other people can’t read your mind. Suggesting that anyone who doesn’t get your opaque point is being obtuse is arrogant and childish.

                Do better.

              • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
                33·
                14 hours ago

                That was only two representative examples. Do you actually want me to make an exhaustive list of all of the changes that have happened over time to the Chinese censorship regime?

    • Shacktastic@lemy.lolEnglish
      218·
      20 hours ago

      China censors all literature, film, music, and internet discourse employing advanced technologies and multiple tens of thousands of people while also running the world’s largest prison for journalist. VPNs are blocked. Apps like Signal are blocked. Online gaming for minors is limited to 3 hours per day on weekends and holidays only. People get harassed by police for what they post online. Many go to jail for criticizing the government, spreading pornography or health related sexual content (including anything LGBT), supporting Taiwanese independence, or casting doubt on Chinese folk legends. Then, in addition to that (which I have not even begun to do justice to), all media companies run their own internal censorship regimes so as not to get in trouble with the authorities. And this rolls downhill: you the individual self-censor to not get in trouble with your boss or worse.