Propaganda from the Bottom Up: How Government Messaging in China Reaches Fragmented Social Media Audiences | FSI (opens in new tab)

Digital media has produced an explosion of content, fragmenting audiences into niche online spaces. Unlike broadcast-era media, where China’s government could capture attention via a few channels, people now choose from countless content sources tailored to specific interests. A viral video for cat lovers or coders may go unnoticed by everyone else. China’s censors on social media can suppress dissent, but they cannot guarantee audience engagement or message uptake. How does China’s governmen...