Novara Media Downstream: The Secrets of the Chinese Internet w/ Yi-Ling Liu
13 snips
Apr 13, 2026 
Yi-Ling Liu, China analyst and author of The Wall Dancers, reflects on growing up between Hong Kong, the US and Beijing. She explores how China built a separate internet, the rise of WeChat as a super-app and surveillance tool, and digital activism from feminist and LGBTQ+ communities. She also traces entrepreneurial shifts from Jack Ma to AI founders and how users creatively navigate censorship.
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Propaganda Works By Removing Negativity And Pushing Positive Energy
- Propaganda in China is pervasive and multifunctional, not just removal of content but active promotion of 'positive energy' and core socialist values.
- This runs from CCTV history narratives to state feeds of wholesome content and campaigns promoting marital and fertility norms.
Regulate Platforms Transparently Not Just Shut Them Down
- Regulate platforms to reduce harms rather than blindly copy top-down censorship; aim for transparent, participatory governance of online spaces.
- Yi-Ling Liu supports targeted rules (e.g., limits for minors, removing pornography) but warns opaque enforcement undermines legitimacy.
WeChat Convenience Equals Surveillance Power
- WeChat's super-app model centralises messaging, payments and services into one platform, creating massive convenience but concentrated surveillance risk.
- During COVID authorities used WeChat and Alipay QR codes and geolocation to control movement and enforce lockdowns.
